Paula Simon (Doctoral Research Fellow) - June 2025

Paula Simon presented her paper “Against the Grain and between the Lines. Researching the History of Roma in Yugoslav Archives” at the online workshop Narrating the Past: Testimonies Between Personal Memory and Historical Research. Reflecting on what it means to be writing a story where in many aspects the absence of data speaks louder than the presence of them, she presented her thoughts on the various factors on different timelines which influence the sources accessible at the archives and thus the story she will be able to tell. Her conclusion is that as a result of this very specific source situation, it becomes indispensable to read against the grain, e.g. to use state produced sources as hybrid self-setimonies and interpret them critically, sometimes also in opposition to their apparent or intended meaning in order to give voice to perspectives on Romani lived experience and agency. Furthermore, it becomes necessary to read between the lines of official documentation, to uncover what is in fact a history of entanglement of romani and non-romani lives, as opposed to a history of separation and difference.