August 1, 2024, by Arts Placements
Feminist Footnotes
By Chiara Rebora
Chiara took part in the Summer Research Placement Programme and here she reflects on her experience working in Manuscripts and Special Collections.
Expectations of my role?
When I began this placement, I felt under-qualified and completely out of my comfort zone. I had to remind myself I was selected for this placement and that they believed I could complete this work to a high ability. I felt fully supported by my supervisor and quickly understood I could ask any questions to Ursula or other members of the King’s Meadow Campus Manuscripts and Special Collections Team.
Fortunately, the placement student of last year, Amelia, had created a coding scheme. So I understood the direction in which my work would take me. I endeavoured to ensure that my scheme was cohesive and shared the same language used by her. I spent my first couple of days intensely studying her scheme and reading through material which she analysed to be successful in completing the remaining materials. After the first two weeks, I became more comfortable and confident in my abilities. I am thankful that I was put in a situation out of my comfort zone as this is the only way anyone can learn. 
KMC dynamics?
Walking into an office where the staff have been working for many years and are exceptionally talented, was daunting. However, I utilised this to constantly learn from their experiences and ask questions which could guide my future career prospects. Everyone was so welcoming. By the end of my placement I found myself deeply admiring and inspired by them. We also had fantastic tea breaks, away from work, where we could connect on a social level.
Workplace atmosphere?
The reading room was very silent, and sometimes busy with staff or the public intently concentrating and analysing invaluable archival material. This environment ensured I would not be distracted and could perform to the best of my ability. The tea breaks meant you could refresh yourself and come back to work rested with no screen fatigue.
Material that caught my eye?
The sheer diversity of the archives I analysed surprised me. Understandably the political belonging, editorial intentions and tone would differ, yet I met a wide range of intersectional feminist material. I was most surprised by the content and complexity of ideas. While you may think this is naïve, I began to understand the immense quantity of material circulating in the 20th century. I particularly enjoyed reading the more informal and artistic material as the editorial voice really jumped out.
Additionally, I created a poster to summarise my role in my placement and had chosen a theme of Barbie. Whilst for Gen Z, the ‘Barbie’ movie was ground-breaking, I encourage anyone (of any age) to watch the film. It may appear to be a children’s movie simply about dolls, but for those who watched it, they would understand it’s critique of traditional roles and expectations associated with Barbie—a character historically seen as embodying idealized, often unattainable standards of female beauty and behaviour. It was truly an innovative feminist motion picture. Some of the archives I had analysed had Barbie features. This helped inform my theme and to understand the narrative of this symbol of aesthetic perfection. It broadened my knowledge on looking beyond the surface of my female preconceptions of society. 
What did my work entail?
There were under 20 different projects for the Arts Placement Scheme and naturally the work varied from project to project. There was something for everyone! My project was Researching the Feminist Publications Collection. I had the opportunity to read and analyse archives from the Second Wave of Feminism and do so by a set of research questions. Some of these materials had only been seen by a small group of individuals. I felt incredibly lucky to be able to see such precious and significant material to the feminist movement. Some documents came as far as New Zealand! Much of the subject matter I encountered and the skills gained was invaluable to my future career as a journalist or my dissertation focusing on women and justice.
This placement aided me in narrowing down my employment prospects and understanding/adapting to an academic workplace. Before this past month, I had solely worked in hospitality so adapting to the new skills, mentality and atmosphere required of this sector was a huge change. I have gained vital experience, including handling archival material, data analysis and synthesis. Most of all, I developed my research skills which are crucial for any career, future or life in general.
Illustrations from the 1970s Nottingham Women Now!, 1980s Men’s Antisexist Newsletter and the 2000s Women’s News: Ireland’s Feminist Monthly.
No comments yet, fill out a comment to be the first
Leave a Reply