Jessica Dauterive

When are you graduating?

Spring 2024

Describe your dissertation, thesis, or capstone:

My dissertation tells the history of how a modern Cajun identity developed in 20th century Louisiana. I argue that upwardly mobile Cajun community leaders renegotiated their own collective identity by engaging directly with mass culture and modernity. By examining key moments in the development of the region’s cultural identity from the 1920s-1970s, this dissertation shows how the cultural region of Acadiana emerged through the creation of Cajun culture industries that responded to new social, political, and technological forms. The work of local community leaders makes clear that Acadiana’s traditional culture did not survive in spite of modernity, but by engaging with the opportunities it presented for power, preservation, and profit.

How did you choose your specific area of study?

I am from Southwest Louisiana, so this project was a way to explore the big ideas of my discipline through the lens of my own culture and community.

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

My experiences at Mason have had a huge impact on me and my career. I worked with incredible faculty who expanded and supported my thinking, got digital humanities training at the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media that has already formed the basis for my career path, and developed a wide network of colleagues and friends. 

Of which accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud?

I am most proud of the digital projects I got to create and collaborate on, particularly Resounding the Archives (resoundingthearchive.org), and Hearing the Americas <hearingtheamericas.org>. I am also proud that I was able to publish my first peer reviewed journal article while still in graduate school based on my work with Hearing the Americas. 

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career?

There are many! But none more than my advisor, Suzanne Smith. She was an early champion of my ideas, pushed me to sharpen my writing, and supported me through many personal challenges I faced during my program.

What advice would you give to an incoming cohort of graduate students?

Try to find balance between school and life, and join a writing group!

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

I am currently the Project Manager for the Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies at the University of New Orleans and the Digital Humanities Consultant for the National Parks Service Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. I plan to continue working in the field of public and digital humanities at educational, federal, and/or museum institutions.