Author: Ella Scurlock | Major: History and Anthropology | Semester: Summer 2024
Visiting the Centro Catedral de Lima in the Plaza Major
My name is Ella Scurlock, and I am a rising senior studying history, anthropology (majors), religious studies, and classical studies (minors) at the University of Arkansas. This summer I traveled to Lima, Peru with the help of the Honors College Short Term Travel Research Grant to research the archives there information on the social impacts of liberation theology, the topic for my honors thesis.
In the summer of 2024, I received the U of A Honors College Short-Term Travel Research Grant so that I may travel to Lima, Peru in search of material for my honors history thesis. My thesis advisor, Dr. Shawn Austin of the History department, suggested that I travel to Lima for research when he heard about my thesis plans. One of his classes, Cold War in Latin America, got me interested in Peru and the Catholic Church there. My thesis surrounds the Theology of Liberation, a Catholic theology coined by Peruvian priest Gustavo Gutierrez that became popular throughout Latin America in the mid-late 20th century. Lima is the birthplace of both Gutierrez and the theology; however, the theology itself is not my particular interest. When it first sparked, the theology caught the hearts of thousands and reinvented the way the Church approached the struggles of the poor, even though it was ultimately denounced later due to its inherently radical nature. As a historian, I wanted to find in the archives the social impact of the theology on urban grassroots movements. As an anthropologist, I found cultural connections between ideology, militance, and religiosity in leftist Peruvians that is lasting today.
The Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, or PUCP, was my prime target for research, as this is the home of important Peruvian social research and an incredible theology library. I was recommended this path by Dr. Erika Almenara, who connected me with scholars at the PUCP who were willing to help me navigate the libraries. I was able to spend hours digging through primary sources from liberation theology grassroots movements. They revealed much about the role of the ideology in the movement and its application. Not only did I find ample primary sources for my research, but I also connected with Peruvian scholars of theology and social sciences. Dr. Almenara connected me with Peruvian author Juan Carlos Cortazar who has a history with UNEC, the Peruvian National Union of Catholic Students. This organization adheres to liberation theology in its morals, acts, and operation, which made it the perfect place to start with my research. I do not know what I was expecting when I sat down with Cortazar, but I found the heart of my thesis in that café. The social and lifestyle implications of militant adherence to liberation theology intertwine with the theology and its application with the public. The cultural impact on citizens’ lives made me recall my anthropology training, and I am thrilled to be able to connect my two disciplines in my work, as that has been my ultimate goal. Cortazar gave me the contact of Catalina Romero, a vital member of the movement to this day. This is not to forget the amazing scholars working at the PUCP who helped me immensely before, during, and after my travel. The professional as well as emotional support I received from Dr. Francesca Denegri and Prof. Juan Miguel Espinoza was unbound, and I am so grateful for their help. I have made lasting connections with them as both professional and friendly acquaintances that I will value for a long time.
All this is not to say I had a perfect research adventure. Having to leave a few days early for medical complications, I did not get to spend as much time as I would have liked exploring the archives of Lima. I was also planning to visit the Lima branch of the Instituto Bartolome de las Casas, an archive dedicated to the liberation theology movement and stock full of sources for me to unpack. Unfortunately, I did not make it, but I know now what to expect and how to prepare for archival research. My first and main tip is that you can never prepare too much. Many archives have online databases that are accessible anywhere. My advice is to memorize that website inside and out before arriving. Find starting points for the research, but do not fret if you hit dead ends. I have found that in archival research, dead ends do not really exist; once a researcher is in an archive, and especially if they have a strong foundation on which to begin their search, the flow of information is hard to stop. Never limit the search pool, and always follow an interesting lead, whether it feels helpful or not (because most of the time it will be!) Researching in a particular archive can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one never knows the inspiration they might find.
Without the help of the Honors College Travel Grant, I would have never been able to understand and experience my research as I do now. While I was excited about my topic before, I am now inspired and driven to making this history accessible to the public not only because of its intrigue, but also because I believe the power behind this social movement can be inspirational and informative to similar grassroots or religious movements today. Until I defend my thesis in the spring, I will continue to explore and expand on my findings, research the Catholic Church and religious militancy of Peru and the world, and piece together the social history of the Catholic Left in Peru.