A report on the 2016 Summer Institute for Conducting Archival Research, a four-day workshop providing in-depth training to 23 Ph.D. students from around the world on the theories and practice of conducting archival research at the dissertation level.
鈥淚 found SICAR to be engaging, well organized, and highly informative. [It] is true that there is little archival training in graduate school. In this respect, SICAR is an indispensable supplement to my training that鈥 will make me a better student, researcher, and historian.鈥鈥2016 SICAR Student Participant
During the week of 24-27 May, 2016, the 浪花直播 Center鈥檚 History and Public Policy Program, in cooperation with The George Washington University鈥檚 Cold War Group, hosted the 2016 Summer Institute for Conducting Archival Research (SICAR). An intensive four-day workshop, SICAR provided in-depth training to 23 Ph.D. students from around the world on the theories and practice of conducting archival research at the dissertation level.
Although archival research is a critical component of many academic disciplines, it is virtually never taught at the graduate level. Often is the case that students arrive at an archive, attempting to conduct research鈥攖hrough trial and error鈥攚ith little to no formal instruction. Such is the experience of many graduate students. With this educational gap in mind, SICAR aims to provide a foundational introduction and overview of archives and archival research.
SICAR 2016 student participants came from 18 universities in 8 countries and individually represented over 10 different nationalities. Students鈥 research covered topics in field of history, political science, and international relations. Examples of dissertation themes included US-East Asian relations, Cold War narratives in non-European countries, nuclear disarmament, national identity and nation-building policy, social development in Pakistan, and the history of women鈥檚 rights movements in South Africa.
During the course of the SICAR 2016, participants actively engaged in a series of lectures presented by world class faculty and researchers. Presenters at this year鈥檚 Summer Institute included Elizabeth Charles (Office of the Historian of the U.S. Department of State), Malcolm Byrne (National Security Archive), Hope Harrison (George Washington University), David Langbart (National Archives and Records Administration), Trudy Peterson (Certified Archivist), Elizabeth Saunders (George Washington University), and Christa Williford (Council on Library and Information Resources), among many other distinguished speakers.
From practical advice on country-specific archives to workflow organizational strategies, SICAR offered participants the intellectual tools and foundational tips for how best to conduct archival research. Lecture topics included panels on 鈥淧reparing to Go to An Archive,鈥 鈥淩esearching in Foreign Archives,鈥 鈥淥rganizing Your Materials and Creating and Managing Your Archival Digital Workflows,鈥 and 鈥淕etting Your Research Published鈥 to mention a few.
In addition to the presentations, students had the opportunity to learn from their fellow SICAR participants through topic-specific breakout sessions, tailored for discussion of their dissertation themes. Students also benefited from the collegial environment of SICAR, which offered important networking opportunities with leading experts and fellow graduate students.
On the last day of SICAR, facilitators asked student participants to provide feedback in an open-ended, anonymous survey. All 23 students responded to the survey, offering overwhelmingly positive comments about the entire program. Here are a few examples of what students had to say about this year鈥檚 SICAR:
All SICAR 2016 feedback will be analyzed, recorded and applied to future Summer Institutes in the hopes that the program will continue to grow and improve over the years.
The 2016 Summer Institute for Conducting Archival Research was made possible through the generous support of the .
浪花直播 and George Washington University are currently seeking funds in order to continue hosting SICAR on an annual basis. Details and application instructions for the 2017 Summer Institute will be posted in late 2016.
A global leader in making key archival records accessible and fostering informed analysis, discussion, and debate on foreign policy, past and present. Read more
The Cold War International History Project supports the full and prompt release of historical materials by governments on all sides of the Cold War. Read more
The Nuclear Proliferation International History Project is a global network of individuals and institutions engaged in the study of international nuclear history through archival documents, oral history interviews, and other empirical sources. Read more
The North Korea International Documentation Project serves as an informational clearinghouse on North Korea for the scholarly and policymaking communities, disseminating documents on the DPRK from its former communist allies that provide valuable insight into the actions and nature of the North Korean state. Read more
The Center for Korean History and Public Policy was established in 2015 with the generous support of the Hyundai Motor Company and the Korea Foundation to provide a coherent, long-term platform for improving historical understanding of Korea and informing the public policy debate on the Korean peninsula in the United States and beyond. Read more
