BT's first full day at the Argentine SCT

Howdy Folks!

Lots going on on this end, and I'm thankful. Spent my first full day at the Court and I have to say it proved a lot more productive than I had anticipated. I ended up finding some excellent sources and am currently wading through the UBA's law journal, 1985-present. Though inaugurated in 1957, there were starts and stops and it didn't resume until 1985. It's amazing and kind of nice, I can follow the histories and evolution of people I've either known or read about in the articles published, in the list of editors, advisors, readers, and in the footnotes. It's nice to see familiar names, even if it does bring on a little nostalgia. It's amazing how lives are lived in footnotes.

And, of course, the staff is extremely helpful. I only saw one other researcher type, complete with laptop, backpack, and academic air. I leave the laptop at home, along with the backpack and academic air, and find I can pass for a local. There's enough to read at the Biblioteca and all I need is a pen, really. They open at 7:30 and close at 19:00, except for this week when they close at 14:00. There are also copy machines with rude attendant who sells copy cards, so I kinda felt at home.

On other fronts, have also been asked to read a paper two researchers will be presenting in Stockholm later this year. Sure they're using me for my English, but I don't mind. It gets me into the loop and lets me reciprocate in some way. Fieldwork always seems to be about asking for things -- something I really don't like to do -- so an opportunity to give is welcome. And, interestingly enough, what I'm finding out from my interviews here is that quantitative data on this stuff doesn't exist, not because it doesn't exist, but because the variables are too complex to show causality in any blunt quantitative way. Sure "datos" or data can be found and are helpful, but end of the day, it's the qualitative stuff that is the most valuable, nuanced and sophisticated. And this is from people who live la vida quantitiva -- amen to that -- at least they're intelligent about it unlike in the US.

So, tomorrow more of the same. Found an excellent article on use of precedent in Latin America and so I suppose that'll be my evening! Hope everyone is well.

B.