Interview with 2023 USRA recipient: Sydney Szijarto

Can you start off by sharing the title of your 2023 Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) project?
Sydney Szijarto: Soviet Scars: Russian Collective Memory as it Informs Modern Pro-Democracy Activism

Can you tell us about your research project?
Sydney Szijarto: I explored how Russian pro-democracy activists coopted the collective memory of the Soviet era to potentize their anti-regime messages in the context of the invasion of Ukraine. Informed by audience discussion of their works, I investigated and documented activist visual and performance art to learn how sensitive history influenced current public political sentiment. I analyzed the art with Putin’s manipulation of history in mind, and found that artists interacted with his narratives in their work, employing similar familiar historical narratives to counteract his messages, or pointing out the invalidity of the narratives themselves.

Looking back now, can you share a bit about your experience working on this project?
Sydney Szijarto: The opportunity to spend a summer researching a topic you find fascinating, building a relationship with a knowledgeable supervisor, exploring the skills you will need for large research projects, and learning more about the parts of academia you enjoy is spectacular. I learned so much about the current political situation in Russia, the ways resilience and dissidence manifests under oppression, as well as Soviet history and culture. I also investigated methods for studying social media and evolving political situations through a historical lens, which have been very useful in my fourth year. From a practical standpoint, I used my USRA work to inform my dissertation proposals for master’s applications, and I think my self-directed research experience was a huge asset.

How did the USRA complement or build on your studies in the Arts & Science Program?
Sydney Szijarto: I am interested primarily in the study of historical social movements. This project allowed me to combine my historical interests with investigations of current anti-authoritarian resistance movements in Russia. In fact, it was this project that made me certain I was interested in studying Russian and Soviet history. My Artsci classes built a wonderful foundation for my USRA work. In Visual Culture Inquiry, I became familiar with analytical skills relevant to studying artistic work produced by social movements, and in Global Justice Inquiry we regularly discussed self-determination, something Russian activists have been engaging with for generations. In Tech and Society, I became comfortable investigating my own positionality and responsibilities as a researcher, which helped me do my best to approach this project diligently and respectfully.

Do you have any advice for students interested in applying for an Arts & Science USRA in future?
Sydney Szijarto: You should definitely apply, it will make for a fantastic summer! My advice would be to reach out to potential supervisors early, and build your project with them: they have the expertise to help you build a feasible and attractive idea. You should also be sure to choose something that really fascinates you; a USRA is a lot of work, and a good opportunity to dive into your niche interests. In order to make the most of your time, I think it is also very important to have a strict schedule for your summer and to work out your methodology in advance. But overall, APPLY, APPLY, APPLY!!

Click here to read interviews with the other 2023 USRA recipients.