I recently attended the International Studies Association (ISA) West conference from September 27-28, 2024. During a panel titled “Fictional vs. Historical Cases: Basing Your Choice on Learning Outcomes,” I presented the Srebrenica massacre of 1995 as a historical case that can be fictionalized, allowing students to engage with the events as they unfold rather than simply trying to replicate the resolution after “googling” it. Our workshop focused on the challenges of managing the developments so it remains realistic and stays on point. We also explored the educational value of both fictional and historical cases and created fictional scenarios based on actual events, so that students can then later compare the fictional and historical.
In this blog post, l’d like to share how my relationships with acquaintances evolved into friendships during the conference. This year was different for me because I served as a board member, overseeing travel grants for Ph.D. students and junior faculty. Collaborating with the ISA president and the program chair, I helped compile and review applications, rank them, and select awardees based on our criteria. Through our email exchanges, Zoom meetings, texts, and calls, I felt friendships developing before the conference, and when we finally met face-to-face, the bond deepened. Many familiar faces from last year also returned, and I was thrilled to reconnect with everyone. I believe that simply showing up is half the battle.
Last year, I wrestled with the notion of whether I should stay for the business meeting. However, as a board member, there was no hesitation to stay for the business meeting. I’m happy to share that I will continue serving on the board next year, with expanded responsibilities that include training another to take over the travel grant chair position and serving as the new social media chair for our ISA-West region. I was even nominated to be the program chair, which I appreciated, but I chose to decline for now. It was a difficult decision, but I felt it was important to take more time to learn and observe as a regular board member before stepping into such a leadership role. Additionally, I want to prioritize my position as a professor at Vanguard, maintain a healthy work-life balance, and avoid burnout.
As I reflect on my experience at the ISA West conference, I believe that the connections we build-through shared interests, collaborative efforts, and mutual support-enrich our professional lives and fosters an epistemic community beyond just my institution. It’s fun to nurture relationships and build new friendships through chit chats between panels, conversations during receptions and luncheons, and getting updates while loitering in front of the registration tables. For me, I find that friendships blossom when I’m most curious about others’ research and projects, enjoy their company, and find something we both have in common.
