This post concludes our series sharing pre-publication versions of chapter introductions in our upcoming book titled “Prosecuting Political Violence: Collaborative Research and Method”
Chapter 9
Conclusion: Collective reflections on tPP and undergraduate scholarship
by Anwyn Bishop, Kathryn Blowers, Megan Burtis, Morgan Demboski, Lauren Donahoe, Sara Godfrey, Brendan McNamara, Stephanie Sorich, and Madison Weaver
Our team is accustomed to working in a decentralized manner, where some team members work from the classroom and others contribute from hundreds of miles away. For that reason, our workspaces and meetings have remained dynamic and unique. As we came together to determine how to conclude this publication, our team faced the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We relied on our ability to work decentralized to collaborate on this co-authored, collective piece between nine members of the project, while remaining socially distanced.
Rather than summarizing the main points of this book, we thought it would be best to discuss the challenges faced by young scholars today and the importance of building confidence and skill within research settings.We offer this discussion as a resource to students, along with the faculty who work with them, while also providing a space for us to reflect on our processes, achievements, and the ongoing challenges we face.What follows is the result of a series of conversations that took place over email, video calls, and one pre-quarantine, in-person discussion.
The following chapter reflects conversations between all of the co-authors with their responses summarized in the text.We begin with a collection of individual responses from tPP members regarding their introduction to the project, followed by a discourse on some of the barriers faced by young scholars, and a subsequent discussion of how they can be overcome.We then offer a reflection on tPP itself, including what makes the project different, the challenges we’ve faced, and a discus- sion on the mental health impacts of this type of research. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of how tPP has aided in the advancement of its members, and the future of the project as a whole. But let us begin with a note of praise from Dr. Steven Lippmann, Chair of the Department of Sociology at Miami University where tPP got its start.
“The Prosecution Project is undoubtedly the most innovative and exciting faculty project I’ve seen in my 14.5 years at Miami. Professor Loadenthal’s (as you know) energy and enthusiasm for the project and, more importantly, his student collaborators is unparalleled.”