Read about Anastasia Kharitonova-Gomez’s experiences as a REECAS MA student at the Jackson School:
“In my first year at the Jackson School, I picked a thesis topic that combined my interests in diaspora studies and post-Soviet politics: the political views of Ukrainians living in America. When the pandemic began, recruiting interview participants became more difficult for a variety of reasons. To combat this, I leveraged community connections as much as possible, utilized social media, and researched diaspora organizations and congregations to contact. These outreach efforts paid off, as I’ve now completed interviews with 30 local Ukrainians, the vast majority of them through the phone or Zoom. There were plenty of unanswered queries and rescheduled (and cancelled) interviews along the way, but this experience helped me realize just how many doors can open if one just asks around. It’s been fascinating to see how homeland experiences continue to shape the views of Ukrainians in America across generations. My next step will be to contact some diaspora figures around the country for comparative perspectives. COVID-19 makes academic work harder in many ways, but thankfully technology ameliorates some of these challenges and allows us to do research creatively.”
-Anastasia Kharitonova-Gomez