Gender, War, and History: Women Fighters and Victims in World War II and the Holocaust [Research Assistantship]

Department of Sociology
Professor Daina Eglitis
The Project: “Gender, War, and History” is a historical and sociological project that focuses on women volunteers in the Red Army in World War II and women victims of Nazi Germany in the Holocaust. The project highlights the idea that women’s particular motivations and experiences have been obscured by larger, male-centered narratives of the past. For instance, few people know that women comprised about 8% of the Soviet Red Army and many of these women served on the fronts, engaged in violent and dangerous tasks. The work focuses on developing two women-centered case studies: (a) the motivations and experiences of Jewish and Latvian women volunteers of the Red Army’s Latvian division, who served on the Eastern Front ; (b) the particular experiences of women in camps and ghettos and at liberation and how those experiences have been represented historically.
Tasks: I am seeking a well-organized and meticulous RA who can work independently and is a good, clear writer. Language skills would be valuable: there are materials in Russian, Latvian, German, Yiddish, and Hebrew in this project. These skills are, however, less important than commitment, interest, and a strong work ethic. Ideally, the student will have some background knowledge of World War II and the Holocaust and a desire to learn more.
I am looking for someone who can do both on-line database research and spend time at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum library looking at materials. The student researcher will be responsible for gathering and checking historical data, researching specific names for case studies, gathering and summarizing secondary literature on topics related to the project, and looking into photo and video archives for related materials. Some more mundane tasks, such as preparation of bibliographies, will also be required.
The student is encouraged to use the opportunity to gather data that he/she can also use for a research or writing project.
Time Commitment/ Credits: 7-9 hours per week; varies
Contact Email: dainas@gwu.edu
To Apply:  The applicant should send Professor Eglitis his/her resume and a cover letter describing briefly his/her academic achievements, interests, and ambitions, as well as why this project is of interest. Potential applicants are welcome to send emails with questions before making the decision to apply.