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Texas A&M History Conference

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Junyi Han is a senior double majoring in History and Media Studies. She was awarded a Summer 2019 Conference Grant which she used to attend the 10th Annual Texas A&M History Conference.

On April 12, 2019, I attended the 10th Annual Texas A&M History Conference: “Resistance in Retrospect” to present my research about the Great Purge. The conference is organized by the History Graduate Student Organization at Texas A&M University and it took place from April 12 to April 13. The central focus of this conference is to create a scholarly discussion on resistance in its various forms such as armed resistance against a central authority, political activism, engagement of public discourse, or popular memory.



I conducted my research with the guidance of Dr. Matthew Payne, Associate Professor of History and a specialist in modern Russian and Soviet history. Titled “The Spread of Terror,” my paper seeks to answer why the violent repressions that stormed the Soviet Union in the 1930s were not challenged by greater resistance. This project suggests that the expansion of terror is in fact largely a matter of individual choice. During the Great Purge, a sense of duty, fear, personal grudges, and opportunism significantly propelled Soviet people to spread terror at a breakneck speed, and therefore caused numberless victims to be devoured in the 1930s. This topic has great historical significance and rich research potential. A thorough examination of the reasons that caused a lack of resistance among Soviet society can provide insights into the dynamics of the Great Purge and assists facilitates an understanding of mass terror under dictatorial regimes in general. The findings are mainly based on primary sources, such as personal letters, diaries, and memoirs. I have also consulted secondary literature to support my argument. 

This was the first time for me to attend an academic conference and it was a great learning experience. The presentation took place in the form of standard panel talks. I had 15 minutes to present my work and a Q&A session with the audience followed afterwards. At the conference, I received valuable feedback from other researchers. Their comments helped me understand how to efficiently present my work, how to further revise my paper, and how to improve my research strategies in the future. Besides presenting my own work, I went to two other panels focusing on the resistance in East Asia. It was a valuable opportunity to get to know more about the works that are relevant to my field and learn new perspectives. Also, I got to meet with scholars who share research interests with me. They not only provided me with fresh insights into the field of my research, but also gave me a lot of useful advice about my future career path. 

Overall, I really appreciate this opportunity to attend academic conference as I plan to apply to history Ph.D. programs and specialize in the political unrests in Asia during the twentieth century. Attending this conference allowed me to build professional connections with other scholars and have a better understanding of what it is like to work within academia. I learned how to present my work to a broader audience and I received a lot of constructive feedback. 

Visit the Undergraduate Research Programs website to learn more about applying for Conference Grants. 
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