In the latest in our popular Be Inspired series, where researchers share insights from their recent work on the Society’s Collections, Dr Sherezade Garcia Rangel will talk about her research into historical representations of Venezuela, drawing on extensive explorations of the Society’s digitised Collections through Wiley Digital Archive.
She will consider how narratives of exploration and discovery helped shape the emergence of Venezuela as a nation, from explorers like Sir Walter Raleigh searching for El Dorado, to botanists seeking out new specimens, prospectors in search of oil, and much more. In her lecture, she will reflect on how historical perspectives of Venezuela, its people and resources are captured in the archives, and on connections between this historic material and contemporary Venezuela. As a specialist in creative writing, Sherezade will also look at how using a combination of archival research and creative writing approaches can illuminate the country, its histories, and its people. The lecture will also introduce Sherezade’s new literary podcast about historical narratives of Venezuela, which uses this research project as a starting off point.
Dr Sherezade Garcia Rangel is a lecturer in English and Creative Writing at Falmouth University. Sherezade writes short fiction, literary fiction, creative non-fiction and podcast scripts, and is the award-winning founder and host of the On The Hill podcast about Cornish cemeteries and the stories buried there. Her research focuses on historical accounts of Cornwall, cemeteries, Venezuela and the Venezuelan diaspora, the literary novel, the podcast form and practice, the short story, creative non-fiction and the connections between art and literature.