Who writes history? Historical research told from memory

Abstract

The article investigates the configuration of the history as a profession in Colombia from the systematization of 35 interviews conducted to people who are linked to the History Department of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia [National University of Colombia] – Bogotá. To do it, quantitative and qualitative information such as gender, racial identity, nationality, regional place of origin, type of university, in addition to objective and subjective variables related to the decision to dedicate to historical research was collected. Five generations were established to understand the academic community changes. It is concluded that post-graduate studies are essential to consolidate the research path of those who study the past, for this, the access to scholarships which are few in Colombia is fundamental. On the other hand, women's participation in the historical studies field is a minority within the Department. In addition, the presence of racialized people, who come from ethnic groups and/or from different regions to the Andean region, is non-existent. Although the sample is limited to establish general conclusions, it highlights the importance of analyzing how the place of origin and the structural conditions of class, race, and gender restrict or allow the consolidation of a research career.