Good news, seems like I have
finally moved from a dead point. During my recent meeting (third one in just
one month to be more precise) with professors, I got some
exciting ideas for my thesis. I will not be conducting academic
research but making a 'tour of the Jewish heritage in Sarajevo'.
If someone told me a month ago
that this would happen I surely would not believe it. I felt like I was in a
helpless situation and that I will never decide what to write about. Who knew
that I would just make decision not to write? And to be fair I am
quite happy with this new road I am on. Not that I don't love spending nights
and nights writing thesis chapters. I am sure we all do.
Last time I decided to climb
on the shoulders of the giant rather than fight it, now we will be
going for a walk. At the end of this, we might even become friends. Right now,
I am wondering what kind of a tour to make. Should it be guided tour
or maybe virtual one? Before deciding this, I must consider two facts:
- First, one of the specifics of Jewish heritage in Sarajevo is that there is no specific neighbourhood we can call 'Jewish', therefor sites are usually not within walking distance.
- Second, many buildings that are part of Jewish heritage have changed or disappeared. So, the second option seems more suitable. Personally, I would like to make an app that would help you navigate through Sarajevo and show you what use to be there or still is, or why the certain place is important for the community.
- First, one of the specifics of Jewish heritage in Sarajevo is that there is no specific neighbourhood we can call 'Jewish', therefor sites are usually not within walking distance.
- Second, many buildings that are part of Jewish heritage have changed or disappeared. So, the second option seems more suitable. Personally, I would like to make an app that would help you navigate through Sarajevo and show you what use to be there or still is, or why the certain place is important for the community.
Sadly, the big obstacle here is
that I have no idea how to make an app or web-page.
I now must think of proper methodology and
how to conduct my research and then present it all. Prior to starting my work,
I will also take similar walking tours in Sarajevo, to learn what is the focus
of those tours and what I can offer that is different. And of course, I am not
forgetting a fact it is going to (probably) be the virtual tour so I need to find
examples of other best practices.
Afterwards, I can start collecting
date from sources. Those can be put into two categories:
- building, sites and monuments
that are still standing
- archive materials, documents and
photos.
The analyses of the first category is
most likely going to require less work. That is going to be the first
step of my work, to collect date about existing tangible legacy consider
what should be added in my 'tour'. Afterwards, I will be looking into
archive documentation, during my last visit to Sarajevo I have obtained little
booklet that lists said documents, plans and photographs regarding synagogues in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so I already have right
directions on where to look for similar documentation.
 |
| Second oldest Jewish cementry in Europe |
I am not sure now how to finish
this blog post, I have been very positive and excited to start writing it, believing I have a lot to say. But now, it feels like I have a lot of new
issues to consider and think about. So, I will not be ending it on a
very positive note, but rather just hoping that until my next blog post I will
have new ideas, or maybe just new questions. I have learned that having an
issue at hand to think about is better than having nothing.
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