Delving into the archives of the Latin American Right

During my two month trip through Argentina and Chile, I spent the majority of my time in or traveling to archives, libraries, and universities where documentation on right-wing organizations that were active in those organizations in the mid 20th century, such as Tacuara in Argentina and the Sociedad para la Defensa de Familia, Tradicion, y Propiedad in Chile. In the capital cities of both countries, I primarily accessed their national libraries, while in the smaller cities in Argentina I requested access to the archives of seminaries and churches important to the groups I am studying – one seminary, for example, was the alma mater of the leader of a right-wing paramilitary organization. The purpose of this trip was to allow time for me to explore these source bases in preparation for dissertation research, and that they were spectacularly successful. I found far more material at each site than I could have possibly hoped to see during my trip. Additionally, I was able to meet with a number of academics in each country to ask for advice as I begin my dissertation work in earnest, an opportunity I would not have had without the Tinker Field Research Travel Grant.