Anthropology professor serves as visiting researcher in Chile
For over a decade, Governors State University (GovState) Professor Jelena Radovic-Fanta has been studying labor and gender in the fruit-export industry in the Aconcagua Valley in Chile, where she recently returned as a visiting researcher.
During her most recent trip to Chile, Radovic-Fanta examined migration and racial formation amongst grape workers considering the latest wave of migration from Haiti and Venezuela to Chile. While she conducted field work, including interviews and observations, Radovic-Fanta also collaborated with a research team at the Center for Indigenous and Intercultural Studies (CIIR) as part of her role as a visiting fellow.
GovState Newsroom: What did this experience mean to you?
Radovic-Fanta: It was a very meaningful experience to connect with the academic community in CIIR. It's not often that I have an extended period of time to carry out research and collaborate with colleagues so far away geographically. Having this time and space was enriching and significant both for the ways in which I brought GovState with me to Chile, and also for what I have learned in this interdisciplinary space of cutting-edge research and brought back with me.
GovState Newsroom: What did you take away from your time in Chile?
Radovic-Fanta: This experience really underscores the benefits of professional relationships and the serendipitous nature of opportunities that arise from such a network. It also brings together a vast geographic area that is more connected than we might realize. In my research, I learned about Haitian families that came to Chile from Brazil, then continued back up to the United States, crossing the Mexico-U.S. border. Alarmingly similar rhetoric that we hear about immigrants here was echoed in conversations I heard in Chile. It reinforced the significance of collaboration and dialogue. And the importance of reaching out across geographic and disciplinary silos, drawing together people who are interested in understanding and improving human experiences.
GovState Newsroom: What was the most memorable part of the experience?
Radovic-Fanta: Out of the many memorable moments, one that stands out is reconnecting with where I'm from and where I grew up. I have done most of my academic career here in the United States and during these past months I had the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team, teach in a classroom with Chilean and South American students, and shared about our institution and the work we do here. I also enjoyed spending time in my field site, where I have been conducting research for over 10 years.
GovState Newsroom: What's next?
Radovic-Fanta: I'm writing an article based on my research findings that highlight how Chileans are coming to terms with multiculturalism and changing demographics. I hope to contribute to this dialogue due to the heightened tensions surrounding migration and belonging. I'm also excited to bring novel aspects of multiculturalism into my work at GovState in the classroom and university community.