Archival Research and Ecopoetics: Practical Insights for Aspiring Researchers and the Archives of Gertrude Duby Blom in the Lacandón Rainforest

In this talk, PhD student in Comparative Literature, track for international writers, Sarah María Medina will share her experiences navigating the archive of Gertrude Duby Blom, a Swiss-born photographer and environmentalist who fled Europe during World War II and settled in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico. There, she dedicated her life to documenting the Lacandón Maya and the environmental degradation of rainforest ecosystems. This connects with Medina´s dissertation project, which investigates the intersections of affect, ecocriticism, and avant-garde networks in Mexico City and beyond.

Attendees will learn the necessary preparation for archival research outside of the United States, including using databases to find archive locations, securing letters of recommendation, and effectively communicating with archivists, particularly in smaller cultural institutions. Medina will highlight the significance of building relationships with archivists and showcase materials uncovered during her visits to the Casa Na Balom archive in San Cristóbal de las Casas, overseen by Asociación Cultural Na Balom, a non-profit organization devoted to protecting the Lacandón Maya and the Chiapanecan rainforest.

The session will conclude with a Q&A segment, inviting participants to share their archival experiences and ask questions about the archival research       process, thus cultivating a collaborative learning environment.