The Berman-Rodriguez Family: Exploring the Problems, Limits and Potentialities of a Personal/Family File

Abstract

Peer-reviewed article

The purpose of this paper is to preliminary approach the
personal archive of the Berman-Rodríguez family [ca.
1897-2010], of middle-class background, to reflect on the
limits, potentialities and possibilities that are opened by
the exploration of archival holdings of “common people”.
From the many possibilities that arouse, we are interested
in exploring three, as a means of arguing about their po-
tential for historical research, and the need for their con-
servation: the history of middle classes and social ascen-
sion, the history of childhoods and families - in line with
historical studies of affection - and a material history of
childhood happiness. We hope that this reflection about
the personal files of anonymous people and families will
be an occasion to think about the possible lines of inquiry,
and an allegation on the need to encourage the support
and conservation of family archives in specialized institu-
tions.

Received 31/06/2019
Acepted el 25/09/2019