My research focuses on how the Latin American radical left thought about race, class, nation, and empire in the interwar period, and traces connections between Mexico, Cuba, and the Soviet Union. I previously trained as a specialist on Russia and the USSR, and have written two books for general audiences on post-Soviet politics and the conflict in Chechnya. I am presently working on a manuscript titled 'Nations in Question: Debating Race, Sovereignty, and Empire in Interwar Latin America.' Based on multilingual archival research in five sites and fifteen archival repositories in Mexico, Cuba, Russia, and the US, my manuscript reconstructs a series of transnational debates in which Latin American political radicals of the interwar era reimagined the tangled relationships between sovereignty, race, and class. I argue that these debates of the 1920s and 1930s shifted the terms in which Latin American radicals viewed the nation. In the process, the discussions laid down vital precedents for later movements advocating pan-Latin American solidarity, indigenous autonomy, and racial equality. Cases I explore include anti-imperialist exiles in 1920s Mexico City who envisioned an “Indoamerican” federation that would dissolve existing national frontiers, and Communist parties in 1930s Mexico, Cuba, and Chile that called for black and indigenous peoples to be given the right to “national” self-determination — that is, to establish separate, sovereign states if they so desired. Although neither of these proposals came to fruition, I argue that uncovering these histories recasts our understanding of twentieth-century Latin American politics: questions about nationality and race have been more integrally and durably linked with transnational movements for social justice than is commonly supposed.
keywords
Radical movements, Race and nation in Latin America, Revolutions, Latin American politics
Teaching
courses taught
HIST 1028 - Introduction to Modern Latin American History since 1800
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Spring 2023
Introduces students to the history of Latin America from independence to the present. Investigates the social implications of various models of economic development, the opportunities and difficulties resulting from economic ties with wealthier countries, the consequences of ethnic, gender and class divisions, and the struggles of Latin Americans to construct equitable political systems. Approved for GT-HI1.
HIST 1800 - Introduction to Global History
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Spring 2023 / Fall 2024
The first cornerstone course for history majors applies a broad perspective to the global past in order to illuminate how common historical patterns and processes, as well as unique elements, shaped the human experience. Using a thematic approach, all topical variations of this course highlight cross-cultural interactions among societies, and, when relevant, how historical processes that began centuries ago still impact the contemporary world. Topics will vary by section. Department enforced prerequisite: 3 hours of any history coursework.
HIST 3018 - Seminar in Latin American History
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Fall 2023
Capstone seminars are designed for advanced history majors to pull together the skills they have honed in previous courses. This seminar focuses on Latin American history, and will include readings and discussions in a small seminar setting. In relation to the course topic, students will develop an individual research project and write a substantial and original paper based on primary sources. Recommended restriction: History GPA of 2.0 or higher.
HIST 4048 - Latin American Revolutions
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Fall 2024
Examines the origins, development and continuing influence of 20th-Century Latin American revolutionary movements, with a focus on placing these struggles in comparative historical context. Explores various approaches to revolution and the general role of left political formations in Latin America. Specific focus can vary by semester with examples drawn from various Latin American countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Chile and Nicaragua. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Recommended prerequisite: HIST 1018 or HIST 1028 or HIST 3020. Same as HIST 5048.
HIST 4128 - The History of Modern Mexico Since 1821
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Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
Centers on the Mexican search for political consolidation and stability through the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Focuses on the Mexican Revolution (1910-1940) and the post revolutionary rule of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. Examines the War on Drugs and the causes of Mexican migration to the United States. Recommended prerequisite: HIST 1028 or HIST 3020. Same as HIST 5128.
HIST 4800 - Special Topics in Global History
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Fall 2022
Organized around themes that change yearly, this class allows students to study and research processes, phenomena, and events of global significance in historical context. Will stress historical subjects that span multiple geographic regions of the globe. Topics could include the global history of: the arms trade; slavery; health and disease; youth culture; women's rights; genocide, the environment, migration, economic trade, warfare exploration etc... May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours.
