Laura Smetana, from Downers Grove, Illinois, is pursuing a dual major in political science and international affairs. With funding obtained
through a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), she traveled to Slovakia in 2006 to interview members of her extended family
about the country's transition from communism to democracy. The interviews, which were done with the assistance of a translator, were more
difficult to carry out than she anticipated: “I always listened intently to what the interviewees said in response to my question, but
not knowing what they were saying when they were saying it made me feel like I was in a shadow until the translator revealed what had been
said.” However, she did find the environment in which she held most of the interviews to be beneficial: “It often involved dinner
or lunch at an interviewee's house... I found that this usually helped all of us become more relaxed. It was almost as if I was one of
those people who collects sea shells on a voyage but instead of collecting sea shells, I collected stories. Every day it was an adventure
to see what kind of story would turn up next.” Currently Laura is studying in Prague. She will graduate in May 2008, after which she
hopes to once again travel abroad to teach English or conduct further research.
Dr. Lawrence C. Reardon is an associate professor of political science who has taught at the University of New Hampshire since 1991. A frequent mentor to IROP, McNair, and SURF students, he also serves as Laura’s advisor. “I was especially happy that she could take advantage of her family connections to investigate life under the communist regime,” he said. “Interviews with family members can oftentimes be more revealing.” Dr. Reardon specializes in international relations and international political economy.
Read Laura Smetana's commentary, The View from My Family Tree: Reflections on Communism and Democracy in Slovakia >>
