Trainee Fieldwork
Working with survivors taught me fundamental lessons about peace, reconciliation, postwar dilemmas, and reconciliation inconsistencies. All these became part of my Ph.D. dissertation in Social Anthropology, “The value of insurgent memories. Intergenerational tensions over memories in post-war El Salvador,” at El Colegio de Michoacán in 2021. My research has been built upon solid ties with rural communities and grassroots movements. My postdoctoral approach at Western University is as a researcher and program builder.
Dr. Adriana Alas López, Postdoctoral Scholar, Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Dr. Tania Cañas, Banting Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
My research proposes new ways of thinking about displacement by investigating the development of postwar memories over an extended period and assessing their impact on intergenerational knowledge. I focus on the Salvadoran diaspora in Canada and Australia. By examining the convergence of these settler-colonial sites, my research will provide a fresh and transcontinental perspective.
Dr. Giada Ferrucci, Western Postdoctoral Fellow, Western University
I am currently a Western Postdoctoral Fellow at Western University, jointly appointed at the Faculty of Information and Media Studies and at Western Libraries. I hold a PhD in Media Studies from Western University, a master's degree in International Studies from Aarhus University (Denmark), and a bachelor's degree in Economic Development and International Cooperation from the University of Florence (Italy). My research and professional experience focus on addressing social and environmental justice, particularly in Central America. I critically analyze the communication and advocacy strategies employed by land and environmental defenders, emphasizing their organized networks of resistance against extractivism in their communities.
Dr. Pedro Morán Bonilla, Independent Scholar
At the intersections of Communities, diaspora and canadian Settler-Colonialism, my dissertation, “Una milpa de storywork, memoria histórica y testimonios cultivada por salvadoreños en ‘vancouver’”, [A Crop of Storywork, Historical Memory, and Testimonies Cultivated by Salvadorans in ‘vancouver’] explores how First-generation Salvadorian Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Exiles cultivated land and place-based relationships on vancouver, british columbia, canadá (OISE, University of Toronto, 2024).
Thomas Montulet, PhD Candidate, Architecture, KU Louvain
My research is developed in a twofold manner, oscillating between theory and practice. Firstly, a theoretical framework allows us to situate the memory of architecture as a topic within a vast field of philosophical and anthropological notions of space-time. Secondly, the architectural projects of the Surviving Memory in Post wWar El Salvador research initiative form an important part of the study material.
Alejandra Aguilar Palencia, PhD Student, Hispanic Studies, Western University
My dissertation project, “Salud mental, testimonios de sobrevivientes y resiliencia tras la guerra civil salvadoreña” [Mental Health, Survivor Testimonies, and Resilience after the Salvadoran Civil War], focuses on the analysis of the testimonies of victim-survivors. My specific interest is to understand how the issue of mental health or resilience strategies of victim-survivors from war-affected communities in the Department of Chalatenango in El Salvador have been addressed and how they could be addressed. At the same time, I explore how people have overcome trauma through healing and reconciliation processes.
Juan Carlos Jiménez, PhD Candidate, Geography, University of Toronto
My research examines how young adults in rural El Salvador embark on their life trajectories and livelihoods while confronting and navigating socio-economic difficulties that characterize rural, agrarian economies. I explore the role of historical trauma in shaping life experiences and livelihood making of young adults, and the role that local community organizations play in the well-being and placemaking of young people. This project takes place in the districts of Arcatao and Nueva Trinidad, places that have witnessed conflict during the Salvadoran Civil War (1980-1992).
Joel Martínez Lorenzana, PhD Candidate, Music Education, Western University
Iam currently a PhD candidate in music education at Western University. My research for Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador, under the supervision of Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari, is looking into the roles of music in the community during and after the civil war. I am also actively involved in field recordings of songs by the community, the design of a digital music archive that documents music and songs from the region, and editing two songbooks curated by community members.
Talia (Tata) Méndez, PhD Candidate, Media Studies, Western University
I am a PhD candidate in Media Studies at Western University. I hold a master’s degree in Hispanic Studies from the same university, a specialization in Multimedia Communication, and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from the Autonomous University of Manizales (Colombia). For more than 13 years, I have explored the intersection of digital humanities, new memory ecology, and collaborative design through the creation and conceptualization of digital artifacts for cultural institutions. My work is deeply rooted in research-creation, which I use to address complex cultural and historical contexts.
Jocelyn Torres, PhD Candidate, Anthropology, York University
My research is based in El Salvador where, two years after Bukele’s government instituted the state of exception, more than 76,000 citizens have been arrested or detained. The detentions led to a significant decline in the nation’s murder rate and fundamentally altered the sense of security for many residents, who can now move around freely in communities once controlled by gangs. My research explores the interconnections between security, urban space, and human rights in San Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele has invested in urban street art, particularly graffiti.
Fernando Chacón Serrano, MSc Student, Psychology, Western University
I am currently a MSc student in the Clinical Science and Psychopathology program at Western University and a member of the Research on Addiction & Disparities (RoAD) Lab, under the supervision of Dr. Jesús Chavarría. As a graduate student I am interested in researching the links between trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders, particularly among survivors of the Salvadoran Civil War and their family members. Based on research, I aspire to develop and evaluate effective treatments for these and other populations facing similar situations.
Gabriela Miranda, MA Student, Hispanic Studies, Western University
I am a Salvadoran and I hold a law degree from the José Simeón Cañas Central American University (El Salvador). I am currently pursuing a master's degree in Hispanic Studies at Western University. Throughout my academic and professional career, I have always worked on behalf of victims of crimes in the field of criminal law and mass atrocity crimes in which the victims have suffered human rights violations. My master's research work focuses on how survivors or victims of the Civil War in El Salvador address the issue of restorative justice in a post-war context.