HLS Librarian Juan-Andrés Fuentes receives 2025 Douglas Bryant Fellowship 

I am proud to be one of the 2025 Douglas Bryant Fellowship awardees from Harvard Library for my research project, “Rethinking International Law Literature: Recognizing the Value of Latin American Contributions.” The fellowships support research and scholarly activities by Harvard Library staff that engage with the library’s EDIBA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Antiracism) values within the context of research libraries. 

Departing from the reality that, for example, many leading journals in international law still accept only works written in English, and most major databases only store English texts and permit searches exclusively in English, this project aims to highlight the significance of Spanish-language literature from Latin America in the field of international law. I will explore specific examples of legal concepts and principles that either originated in, or were significantly shaped by, Latin Americans. By highlighting these contributions, this initiative seeks to broaden legal scholarship and reinforce the value of diverse perspectives, helping to foster a more equitable environment for legal research. This is just a small step toward drawing the attention of stakeholders and encouraging a shift in how publishers, databases, and researchers think about what constitutes valuable academic work. To achieve this, I plan to conduct independent research and travel to Peru to meet with two prominent international law practitioners and academics, as well as visit local libraries. The final paper will be written in both English and Spanish. 

While I am in the early stages of my research, I feel confident in this process thanks to Harvard Library’s incredible resources. For example, I have been able to review a Peruvian legal text from 1864 and a Chilean book published in Paris around the same time, both available in print. The “Interlibrary Loan” and “Scan & Deliver” services have also been incredibly helpful in obtaining relevant materials for my research. 

As members of the Harvard community, we are fortunate to have access to unique collections such as the HLS Historical and Special Collections. With the support of Lesley Schoenfeld, Public Services & Visual Collections Administrator, and Sarah Wharton, Access Services Coordinator & Curatorial Associate, I was able to locate and review a well-preserved thesis from 1656 that appears to be key to tracing the origins of one of the legal concepts I intend to analyze. 

I am thankful to Harvard authorities for their strong commitment to supporting the professional development of their staff and upholding Harvard’s values.