Amateur genealogy has been reported to be one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States andglobally. Demographic records constitute the raw material that make amateur genealogy possible.
Documents and records that collected dust for decades and even centuries in archives, government
offices, and religious institutions acquire a new life once they are added to the genealogical databasesthat put them at the fingertips of millions of amateur genealogists around the world. In this talk, Dr.Carrillo examines the sociological aspects of this endeavor, with a focus on how genealogists interactwith the documents that they access, how both documents and living people change in the process, andhow tools and technologies have developed that facilitate amateur genealogy at a global scale.

About the speaker:

Héctor Carrillo is Professor of Sociology and Gender & Sexuality Studies at
Northwestern University. His past research and teaching have centered on the sociology
of sexuality, immigration, and health. His most recent book, Pathways of Desire: The
Sexual Migration of Mexican Gay Men, received awards from three sections of the
American Sociological Association: Latina/o Sociology, International Migration, and Sex
and Gender. For this book, Carrillo also received the 2020 ASA Distinguished Scholarly
Book Award. He currently conducts research on the social significance of amateur
genealogy.