By Susannah (SMcClanahan) and Eilidh (Yushi)
Where do we start?
Beginning a project can be daunting; this one has already given us some massive headaches, especially because of how unclear ‘transnational history’ is. Is there even a precise definition? Regardless, integrating that concept into our projects presents a few minor challenges.
Susannah: For my project, the clearly transnational phenomenon is the practitioners of Regla de Ocha (RDO); they are trafficked West Africans who lived under Spanish imperial rule alongside native Caribbean peoples. As a consequence, their religious and social traditions necessarily borrow from all of these cultural influences. That transnational result is the basis for my study, but I am more focused on the development of the socio-cultural practices surrounding the practice of RDO, which are more contained within the Americas. So, I don’t know how often I need to reiterate that these people are transnational. I don’t know if there’s a clear answer for me yet, but I’m pleased that I can continue asking the question of my MO3351 friends.
Eilidh: The movement of these people and the knowledge that went with them, is the transnational perspective. It is only from this movement that the religion developed and it was unique from others. For me, and my project, world maps are global simply in the fact that they showcase the world. But does that really make them transnational? They cross national boundaries which is one of the aspects of transnational history that was discussed our first week on the job. I want to compare colonial maps and look at the power that they held in influencing the socio-cultural and political attitudes within the countries. By focusing on various countries and having a comparative perspective, can we showcase the transnational by focusing on the differences in the countries?
Susannah: Eilidh, your project is transnational in its perspective and scope; you are using the global representations of individual nations to understand the power and influence of those nations. It’s a very ‘from above’ view, yeah? Like you’re on the International Space Station. But your idea about focusing on differences between countries makes a lot of sense as well; I think there are several ways in which you can approach this, and you’ve got a really great idea going. I can’t wait to see where you are in a couple weeks!
With all of that muddy confusion in mind, we are focusing on giving ourselves a rough guide as to how to proceed. Knowing where to begin in all of this has been one of the most difficult aspects for us; when you see ‘5000 words’ on a page, it seems incredibly daunting. We think there are several ways to begin your project; none of them are inherently better than the others, but each is suited to a different approach.
- Find up to 5 key sources (don’t quote us on this number but don’t try and read everything!) that really speak to the heart of your argument, or even completely contradict what you are thinking but something that you can argue against. Use these as a starting point for formulating your perspective on your topic, and let them inspire you to find others to support your thesis.
- In secondary literature, find an argument or a particular historian that appeals to your analysis, and then see where you differ in your approach or understanding. Especially if you are dealing with a topic that has a long tradition of study, there’s probably someone out there who has spotted something similar to you; use their conclusions to examine your own ideas. Also, don’t neglect anthropologists, sociologists, or any other -ologists who might be studying your topic, albeit from a different angle of analysis.
- If you already know your thesis and have a VERY clear idea of what you intend to argue, then crafting a rough idea of how to format your information might help to break the project into more manageable chunks.
- Or if you have a broad theme or argument already in your head, to pick a time period/event/group etc. that from initial reading has sparked inspiration, something that seems to need investigation.
So where to go from there? The library? Seeker? The pub? Perhaps the most meaningful next step is to continue to engage in a dialogue with people outside of your project. They can provide much needed perspective (and commiseration) while we work. Whether historians themselves or someone who has completely no idea what you are talking about, they can often see the gaps that you don’t pick up on. Especially since we tend to get tunnel vision when working on a project for a long time, outside opinions (even criticism) can help us stay on track or make us rethink everything (but in a good way). That, we think, is one of the coolest aspects of this module and this project. In any other module, we wouldn’t have access to this level of collaboration or support, and we have to take advantage of that. Collaboration, from speaking to people or pair writing, is one of the aspects of transnational history that makes it a unique perspective compared to a traditional national study focus. This kind of analysis necessitates communication and cooperation, since it is inherently interdisciplinary, at least in some regards.
With our sources in our brain, discussion held over a couple pints, the best thing (we feel) is to just start writing. Get thoughts onto paper, even if they are completely flawed, and often from there, inspiration will come. The snack writing idea seems perfect for this; a dedicated hour of pouring thoughts onto paper (word vomiting, if you will) will almost certainly leave a few gems from which to can continue to build your argument and polish your final product. From here, you can go back into your sources, get another thousand books from the library, talk to another professor. But at least you’ve begun. That can be the hardest thing to do, so we might as well take that plunge. Headfirst, of course!