Meet the Anton Fellows:
A tale of two cidades
Interview with Sarah Fineberg-Lombardi
When in high school, Sarah Fineberg-Lombardi '05 studied for a year in Brazil and learned Portuguese. Then, in the summer of 2003, she used an Anton Fellowship to begin a study of comparative local democracy in Cianorte, Brazil and her hometown of Portsmouth, N.H., work she is continuing this semester for credit. Below is a summary of a recent conversation during which she discussed her research and most recent visit to Brazil.
I understand that you're a government major, specializing in international relations. Did you know that was what you wanted to study when you started at Clark?
I didn't really know what I wanted to do when I started at Clark! Then, second semester of my freshman year, I got a little crazy, and decided I really needed to find a direction to push myself in, what courses I wanted to take in the future, and what I wanted to do with myself. So I sat down and made a plan. I had an interest in international relations as a broad field. I did some research into Clark's majors and decided that a government major, with a focus on international relations, was what I really wanted to do.
How did you find out about the Anton Fellowship?
I saw a poster on the wall in the government department office. I also took a research methods class with government professor Sharon Krefetz last spring. She chairs the Anton selection committee and lets people in her classes know about the fellowship. She was also incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the application process.
What did you want to use the Anton Fellowship for?
I wanted an opportunity to do research in Brazil. I spent my junior year of high school in Brazil doing a cultural exchange through Rotary International. I lived with a host family and went to school in Cianorte. I hoped the Anton Fellowship would allow me to return to Cianorte and use my experience there to educate the Clark community about the interesting parts of their government and culture.
Did you know Portuguese before you went?
No, but I knew it when I returned! Total immersion is the way to go. After that year I realized that learning foreign languages and learning about foreign cultures was something that really interested me. I wanted to find a way to incorporate my Brazil experience into a research project. I looked at a few other fellowships that were nationwide, or international grants, but they had so many strings attached, with very specific requirements. The Anton Fellowship was so much freer in its possibilities that I thought it would allow me to do what I wanted. And it has. It's been wonderful.
What's the focus of your research?
I wanted to compare the local democracies of my hometown, Portsmouth, NH, with Cianorte, Brazil, the city where I stayed in high school. I was going to compare local democracy in the US and Brazil through a case study of these two cities. I wanted to compare their governments, cultures, and other variables.
What did you use for your sources of information?
I had prepared a preliminary questionnaire before I started my research and I used that as the basis for how I would compare the two cities. It included sections on economics, demography, health care, social services, politics, etc. In addition to researching paper documents, I conducted personal interviews. The advantage I had in going to Cianorte was that I already had political connections there. I spoke to city officials, such as the secretary of education, the secretary of commerce, etc. I interviewed the mayor and vice-mayor, although their positions are not exactly equivalent to those in the States. I interviewed people with similar roles in Portsmouth, NH. They were more than helpful!
How much time did you spend in each city?
In June I spent three weeks in Brazil, staying with my original home family. They were the source of my connections and information and were vital to the project. Then I was in Portsmouth the rest of the summer. I'm continuing my research this semester through a directed study with my Anton sponsor Professor Williams. I'm examining Brazil's democratization process and how it affected, and was affected by, international politics and relations in general.
I know you haven't yet completed your data collection, but so far, is there anything that has surprised you?
There are a lot more differences between the two cities than I originally anticipated. New Hampshire, with its town meetings, is known for its involvement in local politics. Brazil, on the other hand, is such a new democracy that the democratic system is still unfamiliar to people and influenced by socio-economic class. On the whole, I'm excited by what I'm finding out about the differences in the way each city looks at politics, and the community feeling toward politics.
Are attitudes about political participation different between Cianorte and Portsmouth?
Yes, on many levels. Political participation in some parts of New Hampshire began in the 1600s and is something that New Hampshire residents have taken for granted for quite a while. In contrast, Cianorte was celebrating its 50th anniversary during my visit. There are differences in who's responsible for what, who's used to being able to participate, and who's just starting to be involved.
Did you come across any obstacles in your research that you hadn't expected?
There have been a couple things. When I started out, I didn't realize the scope of what I was trying to accomplish. It was so much bigger than I had anticipated. The challenge was deciding how I was going to narrow down what I originally wanted to do and make it manageable. I think that's the hardest part-finding a manageable goal and sticking to it.
Also, some of the data that I assumed would be easily available, were not. For example, two important comparative measures are average per capita income and average cost of living. As commonplace as that information is in the U.S., it doesn't exist in Brazil at the local level. Some of the variables I was counting on to use as measures between the two cities just weren't available. That problem forced me to think more creatively about how I was going to address those particular topics.
Was Professor Williams able to help you with project management?
Absolutely. We had quite a few meetings. I met with her and with Professor Krefetz, whose specialty is local politics. They were vital to me developing an effective set of questions and setting manageable goals.
Availability of information sounds like an important difference between Brazil and the USA. It affects the kind of planning that can be down.
Absolutely. We're such record keepers here in the U.S.; we have such a wealth of information. For example, I went to the Portsmouth City Hall, asked for the city's ten-year plan, and received it in the mail the next day. It has three huge, separately bound pieces! This sort of documentation is less available in Brazil.
Was this project your first foray into research at Clark?
Yes, it's my first major research project aside from regular class papers. I've just been stunned at how supportive the Clark faculty are, and how incredibly generous the Antons are. A dinner is given at which the Anton Fellows meet Mr. and Mrs. Anton, and the faculty advisors are there. They're wonderful people. They took the time to learn our names and the projects we were doing--no easy task because they run the gamut of subjects. I'm just very impressed with the whole program. I think it's wonderful. There's nothing out there that I know of that allows the student as much freedom and range of possibilities as an Anton Fellowship.
Can you comment on what you feel are the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing research as an undergrad?
I would much rather pursue research now than wait until graduate school. I think it's important to have an opportunity to feel your way through a research project before it's something that's required, and when your degree doesn't depend on it. It's sort of like practice. If you can afford the time and the little bit of extra energy, I think it's a very valuable part of the undergrad experience. And it's just one more thing to prepare you for being out in the real world.