Undercover Notes & Bilingual Crónicas [Research Assistantship]

Professor: Sergio Waisman
 
Department: Romance, German & Slavic Languages & Literatures
 
Title: Undercover Notes & Bilingual Crónicas
 
Description: “Undercover Notes & Bilingual Crónicas” is a new project based on my work as a bilingual and multicultural creative writer, literary translator, and a scholar of Latin American & Comparative literatures. The project consists of gathering and taking a series of notes (in writing as well as in images and short audio-videos, at times as short interviews and conversations with participating subjects) related to a series of “underground realities” (in various cross-cultural situations) that are found and co-exist (sometimes in parallel, sometimes intersecting) mostly in the greater Washington, DC area. Major underlining themes include immigrant experiences and a wide range of North-South linguistic, literary, and cultural exchanges.
 
The project consists of gathering and recording written and audio-visual material, keeping careful track of the material, and then editing the material in preparation for various anticipated forms of publication and dissemination. “Undercover Notes & Bilingual Crónicas” is a new inter-disciplinary, bilingual, cross-cultural project that involves a combination of research and creative methodologies and technologies, such as interviewing, recording and transcribing conversations, some translation work, undertaking digital research and communications (mostly in English; some in Spanish), as well as photography and other audio-visual recording techniques. Although the project is at a very early stage, possible final products include publication in print and/or electronic journals, a book at the end of the project, as well as podcast or other newer digital humanities outlets along the way. The final product and dissemination are still to be determined. At this early stage, I am in the creative phase, gathering all sorts of material related to the project, and actively writing and starting to produce the work. Working with a research assistant from this early stage would be of tremendous help.
 
Duties: The research assistant would assist with note-taking (and/or recording) relevant interviews and conversations, photographing (and/or video recording) interviews and conversations, undertaking digital research, transcribing recorded material (mostly in English, some in Spanish), some editing, and helping to keep all of the material well organized for publication and other digital and print dissemination. Ideally, the research assistant would have strong writing and/or artistic abilities, as well as strong audio-visual and relevant high-tech skills. The work will include audio-video recording, some photography, writing, and transcribing and editing of the material. The work will also require a research assistant with strong cultural sensitivities, especially able to work with different immigrant groups, and peoples from a wide range of backgrounds. Bilingual skills (Spanish/English) is a definite plus.
 
Time commitment: 4-6 hours per week (average)
 
Credit hour option*: 2-3
 
Submit Cover Letter/Resume to: waisman@gwu.edu
 
*If credit is sought, all registration deadlines and requirements must be met. Students selected to be research assistants should contact Ben Faulkner at benfaulkner@gwu.edu whether they intend to pursue credit or not.