Talk • Reel Identities: Home Movies and Oral Histories of Polish Chicago
March 25 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Join Dr. Agata Zborowska for a compelling presentation on Reel Identities: Home Movies and Oral Histories of Polish Chicago. This talk examines vernacular moving image practices and associated oral histories as crucial sources for exploring the evolving identities of the Polish diaspora. Through a case study of the Not-So-Ordinary project, Dr. Zborowska will explore how these media offer new perspectives on the transformation of Polish identity in Chicago, the largest center of the Polish diaspora in the US, and a vibrant hub of Polish culture.
The Not-So-Ordinary project, conducted in collaboration with Chicago Film Archives, investigates home movies and oral histories of Polish Chicagoans from the pre-digital era. By focusing on everyday life captured in these materials, the research challenges traditional narratives and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of migrant identity and diaspora experiences.
Dr. Agata Zborowska earned her PhD from the University of Warsaw in 2018, with her thesis on the transnational history of material culture post-WWII, which was awarded the Inka Brodzka-Wald Award for the best doctoral dissertation in contemporary humanities in Poland. Dr. Zborowska has conducted research at prestigious institutions such as University College London, Indiana University Bloomington, and the University of Chicago. She is currently an assistant professor at the University of Warsaw.
Her current project, Critical Archives of Ordinariness: Vernacular Moving Image Practices and Migrant Identity in Polish Chicago (Not-So-Ordinary), explores home movies and oral histories of Polish Chicagoans to shed light on migrant and diaspora identities before the digital age. The project is funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action and implemented at the University of Chicago (2023/24 and 2024/25) and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (2025/26)
