• Administration
• Community Advisory Board
• National Advisory Board
• Faculty

 Administration

Director: EDWARD F. FISCHER
Associate Director: SUSAN BERK-SELIGSON
Associate Director : FRANK ROBINSON
Assistant Director: LORI CATANZARO
Program Manager: NORMA ANTILLÓN
Bilbiographer: PAULA COVINGTON
Outreach Coordinator: SARAH BIRDWELL

 Community Advisory Board

James Beard, former CEO, Caterpillar Financial Services
Bill Christie, Owen Graduate School of Management
Sue Clark, Principal, Glendale Elementary School
Judge George Paine, President, Nashville Council on Foreign Relations
Sten Vermund, Director, Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health

 National Advisory Board

Nora England, University of Texas at Austin
Franklin Knight, Johns Hopkins University
Tom Reese, Tulane University
Tom Trebat, Columbia University

 Faculty

     Paula C. da Silva Barreto (Universidade da Bahia) is in residence this
academic year during her sabbatical leave on a CAPES fellowship.

     Rocio Alonso Lorenzo (Cornell University), Department of Anthropology.
Research interests include race relations, anthropology of organizations,
corporate social responsibility, and Brazil.

     Andre Portela Souza (Universidade de Sao Paulo), Department of Economics.
Research interests include child labor, poverty, income inequality, and
development economics, and Brazil.
 
 

African American and Diaspora Studies

• ROSANNE  ADDERLEY                                                                                                                                                                      Associate Professor (Ph.D., University of Penssylvania) Free African settlements in 19th century Caribbean, Slave Trade abolition, free African settlement in 19th century Caribbean, marginal migrations: the circle of cultures within the Caribbean.
  

Anthropology

• ANA REGINA ANDRADE
  Senior Lecturer in Economics, Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University & Research Associate, Center for Evaluation and Program Improvement, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University (Ph.D., Vanderbilt University). Labor economics, econometrics; Latin American economic development.
• JAMES E. FOSTER
  Professor of Economics (Ph.D., Cornell; M.A. Cornell). Development economics. Universidad de las Américas, Puebla, Mexico, June-July 2003. Field research interest: Mexico. Current regional interests: Mexico.
• ANDREA MANESCHI
  Professor of Economics (Ph.D., Johns Hopkins). International trade and economic development.
• SUHAS KETKAR                                                                                                                                                                              Professor of Economics (Ph.D., Vanderbilt).  Money & finance, applied econometrics.
• BEN ZISSIMOS
  Assistant Professor of Economics, (Ph.D., Warwick University). Issues of international economic policy conflict and cooperation, nature of these conflicts and possible solutions.

English

• ROBERT BARSKY 
  Professor, Dept. of English; French and Italian; Comparative Literature (Ph.D. McGill, post-doc Université libre de Bruxelles). Field work and research for books and papers on Convention refugees, homelessness in Quebec and incarcerated migrants in the South. Courses on Language theory, postcolonial literature and displacement.
• VERA M. KUTZINSKI 
  Director, Center for the Americas; Martha Rivers Ingram Professor, Department of English (Ph.D., Yale University; M.A., Yale) Vera Kutzinski is a literary scholar and cultural historian whose research has focused on the U.S., the Caribbean, and Latin America during the 19th and 20th centuries. Her current research focuses on Latin American translations of 20th century U.S. poetry.
• LORRAINE M. LOPEZ
  Assistant Professor of English (Ph.D., University of Georgia; M.A., University of Georgia, B.A. California State University, Northridge). Latino literature.
• IFEOMA NWANKWO                                                                                                                                                                       Associate Professor of English (Ph.D., Duke).  Nineteenth and twentieth century US African American and Caribbean literature and culture.

History

• RICHARD BLACKETT                                                                                                                                                                            Andrew Jackson Prfoessor of History (Manchester) US and Caribbean history, particularly of the transatlantic movements that worked to abolish slavery.
• MARK DALHOUSE 
  Director, Office of Active Citizenship and Service, Department of History, Student Life (Ph.D., Miami University; M.A. Indiana State University). Directs Vanderbilt Internship Experience in Washington (VIEW) program, outreach activities. Service/outreach in Guatemala.
• MARSHALL C. EAKIN
  Professor of History; Executive Director, Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA), (Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles). Nineteenth- and twentieth- century Latin America, Brazil, and Central America.
• JANE G. LANDERS 
  Associate Professor of History (Ph.D., Florida). Latin American colonial history, Atlantic World history, the history of gender in colonial Latin America, and comparative slavery and resistance. Her research focuses on the colonial circum-Caribbean and on the ethnohistory of Africans in colonial Latin America.
• W. FRANK ROBINSON
  Assistant Professor of History and Associate Director, CLAIS, (Ph.D., Auburn University).  Colonial and modern Latin America and the Caribbean, twentieth century social and political movements, nationalism and populism.
• DAVID WASSERSTEIN
  Professor of History and Jewish Studies (D. Phil., Oxford University). Islam in Iberia (al-Andalus in Arabic), with a particular emphasis on the 7th-12th centuries, and interest in minorities (Jews and Christians), language, inter-cultural relations, institutions, textual history, and numismatics.
• EDWARD WRIGHT-RIOS
  Assistant Professor of History (Ph.D., University of California, San Diego, 2004). Specializes in the cultural history of Modern Mexico. He is almost finished with Revolutions in Mexican Catholicism: Vision, Shrine, and Society in Oaxaca, 1887-1934, a book tracing priestly efforts to reform popular religious practice, two female-led visionary movements, and the complexities of Catholic resurgence during this period.

• LEONARD FOLGARAIT 
  Professor of Art History; (Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles). Latin American colonial and modern art, architecture.

• PAULA COVINGTON 
  Senior Lecturer in Latin American Studies (M.L.S., Peabody; M.A. History, Vanderbilt). 19th-century travel to Mexico and Latin America. Recent travel and projects: Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, Cuba. Interdisciplinary research methods.
• W. FRANK ROBINSON
  Assistant Professor of History and Associate Director, CLAIS, (Ph.D., Auburn University).  Colonial and modern Latin America and the Caribbean, twentieth century social and political movements, nationalism and populism.
• SUSAN BERK-SELIGSON 
  Associate Professor of Latin American Studies and Spanish; Associate Director, CLAIS (Ph.D., University of Arizona), Sociolinguistics; Pragmatics (discourse analysis); Language in institutional settings, particularly language and the law; Language and gender.

Law School

• LAURENCE R. HELFER
  Professor of Law and Director, International Legal Studies Program (J.D., New York University School of Law; M.P.A., Princeton University, B.A., Yale University).
• BEVERLY L. MORAN
  Professor of Law; Professor of Sociology (LL.M., New York University; J.D., University of Pennsylvania). Law and development, interdisciplinary scholarship and comparative law.
• YOLANDA REDERO  Assistant Professor of the Practice of Law (J.D., University of Minnesota).
• JEFFREY SCHOENBLUM
  Centennial Professor of Law, Law School (J.D., Johns Hopkins University). International estate taxation, wealth transfer.

Owen Graduate School of Management

• DAVID A. OWENS
  Professor of Management (Clinical), Owen Graduate School of Management. (Ph.D., Stanford University; M.S., Stanford University).
• HERMANO ROCHA
  Director, Vanderbilt Executive Development Institute, Owen Graduate School of Management (M.B.A., Vanderbilt University; B.A., Chemical Engineering, Universidade Mackenzie, São Paulo, Brazil). Native Brazilian; current interests: Brazil and Spanish America.

Peabody College of Education

• DAVID DICKINSON                                                                                                                                                                    Professor of Education (Ed.D., Harvard Graduate School of Education).  Early literacy development, professional development.
• STEPHEN P. HEYNEMAN 
  Professor of International Education Policy, Dept. of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations, Peabody College (Ph.D., University of Chicago). Has led Education Sector policy and operations for 23 years. Among the 60 countries of education policy work experience include Brazil, El Salvador, Chile, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Guatemala.
• ANA CHRISTINA DaSILVA IDDINGS
  Assistant Clinical Professor of Elementary Education, Director of Elementary Education Programs, Peabody College of Education (Ph.D., University of Nevada; M.A. University of Nevada).
• ROBERT T. JIMENEZ
  Professor of Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Peabody College (Ph.D., 1992, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). Academic achievement of Latino students and their transnational language and literacy practices. Jiménez most recently edited the book, Race, Ethnicity, and Education: Language and Literacy in Schools (2006). His work has also appeared in numerous journals.

Philosophy

• JOSE MEDINA
  Associate Professor of Philosophy (Ph.D., Northwestern University; M.A., Northwestern University; B.A. Universidad de Sevilla, Spain). Current regional interests: Spain, Mexico, and Caribbean countries. Teaches courses on multiculturalism and theoretical research in Hispanic Philosophy.

Physics and Astronomy

• DAVID. J. ERNST 
  Professor, Physics and Astronomy (Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; S.B. Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

Political Science

• JONATHAN T. HISKEY
  Associate Professor of Political Science, (Ph.D. 1999, University of Pittsburgh). Political economy of local development in Mexico, development implications of political transitions taking place across Latin America. Currently completing a book manuscript on the development consequences of Mexico’s recent political transition.
• MITCHELL A. SELIGSON 
  Centennial Professor of Political Science (Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh); Fellow, Center for the Americas and Director Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP). Democratization, Latin American politics, political economy of development, peasant politics, land tenure.

School of Divinity

• FERNANDO F. SEGOVIA
  Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, Divinity School (Ph.D. Notre Dame; B.A., Pontifical College Josephinum). Latin American and Latino/a religion and theology. Postcolonial and Minority Studies.

School of Engineering

• EDSEL DANIEL 
  Research Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Ph.D., Vanderbilt University; M.Sc., Hull University; Industrial Engineering, New Mexico State University). Has worked with Mitchell Seligson (Vanderbilt) in the presentation of findings, LAPOP (Latin American Public Opinion Project) and Procesos joint effort on Support for Democracy in Central America, Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica.

Schools of Medicine and Nursing

• ADRIANA BIALOSTOZKY                                                                                                                                                              Instructor, Division of General Pediatrics, Pediatric Acute Care Clinic (M.D., UNAM)
• HOLLY CASSELL                                                                                                                                                                            Senior Program Manager, Institute for Global Health
• CAROL ETHERINGTON
  Assistant Professor, Nursing School (M.S.N.) Past President, USA Board of Doctors Without Borders. Etherington joined Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 1996. Her focus is psychosocial care in war-torn and natural disaster situations. She has conducted assessment missions and devised training programs for MSF projects in Bosnia, Poland, Angola, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, Kosovo, and Honduras. Currently, Etherington is an Assistant Professor in Community Health at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing in Nashville, where she has served on faculty since 1981. She graduated with a bachelor degree from Catherine Spalding College, holds a Masters Degree of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University and received an honorary doctorate from University of New Hampshire in 2004. Etherington was awarded the prestigious Florence Nightingale medal by International Red Cross in 1997. Serving on the Board of Directors of MSF USA since 1998, she became the President in 2002. Etherington served two terms on the Board, with the last one ending June 2004.
• PAUL HAIN                                                                                                                                                                                      Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; Director of Pediatric Hospitalist Program (M.D., Vanderbilt, B.S. Rice).
• ELIZABETH HEITMAN                                                                                                                                                            Associate Professor of Medical Ethics
• PETER R. MARTIN
  Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology; Director, Addiction Center; Director, Division of Addiction Medicine; Director, Institute for Coffee Studies, Medical School (M.D., McGill, M.Sc, Toronto).
• DANIEL MASYS                                                                                                                                                                             Professor and Chair, Biomedical Informatics; Director, Caribbean Central and South American network for HIV research
• LINDA D. NORMAN
  Professor of Nursing; Senior Associate Dean for Academics, School of Nursing (D.S.N., University of Alabama, Birmingham; M.S.N., University of Virginia; B.S.N., University of Virginia.) Developing intercultural competence in a multicultural healthcare workforce.
• GINA M. PEREZ
  Research Projects Manager, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (VICTR), Vanderbilt University Medical Center. (Ph.D., Vanderbilt University; B.S., Middle Tennessee State University). Current interests: Immigrant community in health care and clinical research, from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern European populations.
• MARIO A. ROJAS, M.D.
  Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Neonatology, Vanderbilt Medical School (MD - School of Medicine, Bogotá, Colombia, Juan N. Corpas). Global health research. Helped organize the first randomized, controlled multi-center studies aimed at improving the care of sick newborns in Colombia.
• STEN VERMUND
  Director, Global Studies; Amos Christie Chair in Global Health; Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Medicine. Medical School (M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Ph.D., Columbia University). As director of the Institute for Global Health, Vermund's work will go beyond the Medical Center as he leads trans-institutional effort to address international health concerns. He will do collaborative research, teaching and service activities in the developing world, expanding opportunities for everyone in the Vanderbilt-Meharry community who cares about diseases of poverty, tropical climes and health disparities.
• PETER F. WRIGHT
  Professor of Pediatrics; Professor of Microbiology and Immunology; Professor of Pathology; Director, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Department of Pediatrics (M.D., Harvard; Post Graduate training: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Boston Patient Care). Emphasis: Viral and bacterial infections, new vaccines, pediatric HIV infections, international medicine and immunodeficiency status. AIDS research in Haiti; Co-principal investigator of the Vanderbilt HIV Vaccine Program
• ELLEN WRIGHT CLAYTON
  Rosalind E. Franklin Professor of Genetics and Health Policy, Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Law, The Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society (M.D. Harvard; J.D. Yale). Ten percent of her research is devoted to Latin America.

Sociology

• TONY BROWN                                                                                                                                                                          Assistant Professor of Sociology (Ph.D., Michigan) Racial and Ethnic Relations, Social Psychology, Sociology of Mental Health, Brazil
• DANIEL CORNFIELD 
  Professor of Sociology (Ph.D. University of Chicago) Principal Investigator for Immigrant Community Assessment of Nashville,Tennessee commissioned by the Mayor of Nashville. Includes a study of Nashville's large and growing community of Latin American immigrants, $350,000 grant.
• KATHARINE M. DONATO
  Professor of Sociology (Ph.D. 1988, SUNY--Stony Brook). Fellow at the Center for Nashville Studies and the Center for the Americas.  International migration between Mexico and the United States, social determinants of health, immigrants in the U.S. economy, ethic and gender stratification .
• JAMES J. LANG 
  Associate Professor of Sociology (Ph.D., Michigan). Colonial and contemporary Latin America, rural development, community health.

Spanish & Portuguese

• FRÄNCILLE BERGQUIST 
  Assistant Professor of Spanish (Ph.D., Texas Tech.) Associate Dean, College of Arts and Science. Historical Romance linguistics.
• JASON BORGE                                                                                                                                                                        Assistant Professor of Latin American Literature. (Ph.D.University of California, Berkeley). Fiction and essay, film studies, popular culture (Hispanic America and Brazil), North-South issues, cultural studies, Avant-garde literature.
• VICTORIA BURRUS 
  Associate Professor of Spanish (Ph.D., Wisconsin). Medieval Spanish literature.
• LORI CATANZARO                                                                                                                                                                       Senior Lecturer in Spanish, Assistant Director of CLAIS (M.A. University of Florida), Spanish for medical professions and service learning.
• EARL E. FITZ 
  Professor of Portuguese, Spanish, and Comparative Literature (Ph.D., City University of New York). Luso-Brazilian literature, Spanish American literature, Inter-American literature, comparative literature.
• EDWARD H. FRIEDMAN 
  Chancellor's Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature (Ph.D. Johns Hopkins). Golden Age Literature, Comparative Literature.
• CHALENE HELMUTH
• TODD F. HUGHES 
  Director of the Language Center (Ph.D., Pennsylvania; M.A., University of South Florida). Dr. Hughes has had field research experience in Colombia and Spain. His current regional interests are: Quebec, Latin America.
• CARLOS JÁUREGUI 
  Assistant Professor of Latin American Literature and Anthropology (Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh). Colonial and transatlantic studies, cultural studies, nineteenth century Latin American literature.
• CATHY L. JRADE 
  Chancellor's Professor of Spanish; Chair, Department of Spanish and Portuguese (Ph.D., Brown). Latin American poetry, modernism. Awarded NEH Faculty Fellowship for Delmira Agustini: A Modernista on her Own Terms.
• CHRISTINA KARAGEORGOU-BASTEA 
  Assistant Professor of Spanish (Ph.D., El Colegio de Mexico). Spanish avant-garde, Federico García Lorca, twentieth century Mexican and Latin American poetry and visual arts.
• WILLIAM LUIS 
  Chancellor's Professor of Spanish (Ph.D., Cornell); Editor Afro-Hispanic Review. Latin American literature and Caribbean studies. The Afro-Hispanic Review is the leading interdisciplinary journal featuring issues of race in Spanish America, Prof. Luis brought it to Vanderbilt University where it will be edited and published.
• PAUL MILLER 
  Senior Lecturer in Spanish and Portuguese (Ph.D., Emory University). Comparative Literature and interdisciplinary approaches to Latin American Literature (Hispanic, Francophone and Anglophone Caribbean).
• ELENA OLAZAGASTI-SEGOVIA
  Senior Lecturer in Spanish (Ph.D., Universidad de Puerto Rico). Contemporary Latin American literature and film, twentieth century peninsular women novelists, Caribbean and Puerto Rican literature and culture. Service-learning.
• EMANUELLE OLIVEIRA 
  Assistant Professor of Luso-Brazilian Literature (Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles). Brazilian literature and cinema and Afro-Brazilian literature.
• RENE PRIETO
  Professor of Spanish (Ph.D. Stanford). Twentieth century Latin American narrative; body, sex, gender and sexuality, literary theory.
• PHILIP D. RASICO 
  Professor of Spanish (Ph.D., Indiana). Spanish and Romance linguistics. Catalan language and history.
• BENIGNO TRIGO
  Associate Professor of Spanish and Director of Graduate Studies. (Ph.D., Yale University). Nineteenth-century Spanish American literature; literary theory; modernism, and psychoanalysis.
• ANDRÉS ZAMORA 
  Assistant Professor of Spanish (Ph.D. University of Southern California). Eighteenth-, nineteenth-, and twentieth-century Spanish literature and Cervantes.