Galina Chenina and Dr. Aaron Skabelund, Department of History

As a Japanese history major in Russia prior to transferring to BYU, I focused my study and research on mid-nineteenth and twentieth century Japan. My training provided me with a theoretical understanding and the methodology to conduct research using primary and secondary sources in Russian, Japanese, and English. Last year, I was working on a research project regarding the visit of the Iwakura Mission to St. Petersburg in 1873.

My research was aimed to fill a significant historiographical gap in the secondary literature because English, Russian, and Japanese historians have largely ignored the experience of the Iwakura Mission in Russia. A few historians have produced valuable analyses and descriptions of certain aspects of the mission but most studies focus on the delegation’s experiences in other parts of Europe and the United States. In-­‐depth research of the delegation’s visit to St. Petersburg was meant shed new light on Russo-­‐Japanese relations in the nineteenth century and beyond.

Starting Fall 2010, I was staying on time with the proposed time schedule until the spring/summer 2011. By December 2010, I had a twelve page draft of the thesis that was based on the secondary literature in English in Japanese/ I reviewed secondary literature located at BYU library and used the help of interlibrary loans as well. I worked closely with Asian Collections librarian, Gail King, to locate the resources. This part of the research seemed very successful.

However, the main part of the research that would make it unique and let me use my tri-lingual skills was working with the authentic materials that included archives in Tokyo National Library of Japan and Foreign Ministry archives of Russia. By mid February, I already obtained my visa to Japan and was buying an airplane ticket. However, on March eleventh tragic event happened in Japan – Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. My hopes to go to Tokyo National Library that summer were broken to pieces. Tokyo is located not far away from the place of disaster. Brigham Young University administration cancelled all study abroad to Japan planned for that summer. American citizens were evacuated from Japan as well. Nevertheless, having everything prepared to go, after persuading my parents that I would be safe, I went to the middle part of Japan hoping that I might eventually get to Tokyo that summer.

To work with secondary literature in Russian language I have been working with the Professor of Far Eastern National University in Vladivostok Russia, Dr. Vladimir Vasilyevich Kozhevnikov, since fall 201. He also was able to give me a recommendation necessary to receive the access to the archives in Russia. Multiple phone calls to the archives in Russia followed. I was thrown around from one small department to another until finally I got a hold of the chief director of the archive, Mrs. Irina Vladimirovna Popova. She was quite abrupt with me on the phone and said that only graduate students would be considered for a permission to receive access to the archives meaning that I would not have any chance.

Besides working with the professor on the Russian side, I contacted Dr Hardy at Princeton University who had an experience working with Russian archives before. He generously helped to learn how to write a proposal to get access to the archives and I was looking for any other way I could go around what I was told by Mrs Popova and still get the permission. Alas! I was not a graduate student, thus my access to the archives of Russia was just a dream.

The project was supposed to include working with the archives and primary sources located in the library of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia. However, due to bureaucratic and other issues of Russian system, I was not able to receive access to those archives. Consequently, in the last several months, I have reworked my proposal so that it focuses on the early twentieth century Russian intelligence related to Japan. After having such a vast experience to get knowledge on how to work with the archives, bureaucracy, and unexpected life-threatening disasters I feel like I am more than prepared to continue working on mending the gaps of history.

In January 2012, I was accepted to Pembroke College Programme at Cambridge, England for this summer. This opportunity will allow me to use resources at Cambridge, specifically under the supervision system. Participating in a PKP Summer Programme will help me to take advantage of diplomatic archival and secondary materials found at Cambridge University in several languages. Besides, my language skills that qualify me for conducting this research, I have a personal connection to this matter. The Far Eastern National University, where I studied prior to transferring to BYU, was originally designed to prepare specialists for intelligence work in Asian countries in the late nineteenth early twentieth century.

The ORCA grant helped to undertake some actions that I would have never been able to do to start a grand research like the one that was planned originally. I learned how to work and seek help from professors from different colleges and different countries. I was able to grow as a historian by learning from their experiences, interviewing them, getting critique and suggestions from them. This experience gave me an opportunity to learn how to receive access to the archives of Foreign Ministry Affairs in Russia. Even though, I was not able to get the access at this point, this is the skill that will definitely come handy when I am in a graduate school. This also taught me to broaden my research topics and ideas and to have a back up plan so that in case of an unexpected natural disaster or stubborn bureaucracy, I would still be able to produce valuable works. ORCA grant has definitely helped me to realize my potential, to learn trial and error experiences, and prepare me for the work I have ahead of me such as working with the leading historians at Cambridge University and continuing the work in graduate and post graduate schools. Thank you very much!