To this day, the 28-page paper The Origins of Detenidos Desaparecidos: An Archival Analysis of the School of the Americas, which I wrote under Hugo’s supervision has been the most rigorous, yet rewarding research I have ever done. Cultural positionality was a critical lesson learned from participating in this research project. Living outside the United States during the 2024 presidential election was an everyday reminder that to my friends abroad, the way I spoke about U.S. domestic and foreign politics shaped how they perceived the United States. To learn the history of the United States from people who have never stepped foot in the country, yet live with the daily consequences of terrorizing U.S. foreign policy, motivated me to study transitional justice and push influential scholars and politicians to acknowledge Washington’s contribution in the institutionalization of enforced disappearances.
Writing my research paper, The Origins of Detenidos Desaparecidos, was the most rigorous yet rewarding research I’ve done. A key lesson was cultural positionality—living abroad during the 2024 US presidential election reminded me how my words shaped perceptions of the United States. Hearing American history from those living with the consequences of its foreign policies motivated me to study transitional justice and push for recognition of Washington’s role in enforced disappearances.