Written by Tiffany Miron, February of 2024
What makes a historical field "developing"?
A developing historical field is an area of study that hasn't seen as much attention or research when compared to other topics. When I think about developing historical fields, a few key characteristics come to mind. During my time working on researching Golden Age Piracy, which I would consider a developing field, I have observed these characteristics firsthand and have experienced the pros and cons that come with it. These pros and cons have brought ups and downs with my research experience, and that is why I think it is important to discuss what it is like to research in a developing field.
The Bad, the Hard, and the Ugly.
Working in a developing field can present very large obstacles when it comes to research. One of the first obstacles encountered is often seeing a lack of other researchers working on the topic. While this may seem obvious, it is something that makes developing research questions and ideas much more difficult. Alongside this, it also makes it harder to find someone to tell your ideas to that understands your topic, which can make it harder to get feedback on your work. While this is an upfront obstacle, perhaps a bigger and worse obstacle is often the lack of primary sources that come with developing historical fields. In fact, I would hypothesize that many fields are developing because of the lack of primary sources that exist. During my research process thus far, the difficulty finding sources has been one of the most frustrating things about my project, and it can sometimes feel discouraging. Unfortunately, the only answer to this is persistence and continuing to search even when faced with dead ends. These obstacles have taken persistence to deal with and overcome, but the positives that come with working in developing fields make it worthwhile.
The Good, the Positive, and the Fun.
It may be hard to not let the hard aspects be discouraging, but I have also found my work to be so rewarding. Working in a developing field means there are many options that can be pursued, and finding something to contribute to the field can be easier. While a lack of documents can make the work hard, once sources are identified, the work becomes much more enjoyable. On a more lighthearted note, it is also very fun to shock others with your research topic; I have never had someone be unfazed when I mention that my focus is Golden Age Piracy. Choosing to research a developing field is also likely a sign that the researcher is choosing something they are really interested in and passionate about. In my case, I chose piracy purely based on my interest and passion in the topic, because I knew my interest in the topic would lead me to produce my best work. Despite Golden Age Piracy being a developing field, I am very thankful and happy that I chose to pursue it, because it has continued to feel like my work has been worth it. Ultimately, my research has also felt very rewarding simply because I really enjoy the topic. This all to say, I hope that researchers continue to choose to study developing fields regardless of the negatives that are present.
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