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My PURM project focused on my professor’s research of everyday economic life and political economy under 20th Century dictatorships. In helping my professor with her research, I gained a tremendous amount of insight into the history research process. I studied her own methodological strategies for her book project, and assisted her by reading texts, compiling bibliographies, and transcribing documents into a digital catalog of resources. This project focused on various regions, including Italy, Brazil, and the US. It also utilized a range of sources, including primary sources, such as legal cases and memoirs, and secondary sources. Additionally, I used both digital and physical sources, like books and microfilm, during this research experience, which gave me a sense of the materiality of history research. As a history major, this experience provided me with an incredibly rewarding opportunity to try my hand at history research. While the materials and topic for this project were particular, the skills that I gained will be helpful in future research projects, such as a history senior thesis.

My PURM project focused on my professor’s research of everyday economic life and political economy under 20th Century dictatorships. In helping my professor with her research, I gained a tremendous amount of insight into the history research process. I studied her own methodological strategies for her book project, and assisted her by reading texts, compiling bibliographies, and transcribing documents into a digital catalog of resources. This project focused on various regions, including Italy, Brazil, and the US. It also utilized a range of sources, including primary sources, such as legal cases and memoirs, and secondary sources. Additionally, I used both digital and physical sources, like books and microfilm, during this research experience, which gave me a sense of the materiality of history research. As a history major, this experience provided me with an incredibly rewarding opportunity to try my hand at history research. While the materials and topic for this project were particular, the skills that I gained will be helpful in future research projects, such as a history senior thesis.