Media Secolas

Dr. Abbey Steele joined Dave and Steven to discuss her book Democracy and Displacement in Colombia’s Civil War, published in 2017 by Cornell University Press. In this important work, Abbey explores the idea of collective violence, in which a particular group of people – not based on race or ethnicity – are targeted in an attempt to cleanse them from an area. The Colombian example is a cautionary tale of the unintended consequences of an earnest attempt to transition to democracy after the end of violent civil conflict. Be sure to check out the extra time conversation with Abbey as she talks social science methods and conducting research using surveys in Colombia. Originally aired October 15, 2018

Yesterday, Sunday, October 7, 2018, well over 100 million Brazilians cast their votes in presidential and congressional elections, with a sizable number voting en blanco or destroying their ballots. Of the presidential aspirants, the top two vote-getters were Congressman Jair Bolsonaro of the Social Liberal Party and former education minister and Sao Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad of the Workers Party. Bolsonaro’s rise also led to an impressive display for his party in the congressional elections, earning a projected 51 seats in the lower Chamber of Deputies. Previously, his party had fewer than 10 seats. Dr. Amy Erica Smith, an associate professor of political science at Iowa State University, joined Steven to make sense of yesterday’s election. Dr. Smith said that the Brazilian electorate made a clear statement to the political class. Originally aired October 8, 2018

Dr. Miguel Tinker Salas of Pomona College joined Dustin and Steven to discuss the various problems afflicting Venezuela today. Tinker Salas reminds us that to fully understand the economic, political, and humanitarian crises, one must understand the historical evolution of the oil industry, the myth of the país privilegiado, and such state institutions as the military. Notum bonum: There’s a special treat for this episode’s intro and outro music, which features the song Tierra sin culpa by Ali Primera (source: archive.org). Our thanks to Miguel for the suggestion.

Card sharks. Bigamists. Kidnappers. Brawlers. Drunks. Imposters. Assassins for hire. These are the people that played critical roles in the establishment of imperial Spanish rule in the 16th century Americas. Dr. Martin Nesvig of the University of Miami spoke with Steven about his new book Promiscuous Power: An Unorthodox History of New Spain and the everyday practices of making and unmaking of empire. Be sure to check out the extra time conversation with Martin.

Dr. Lisa Munro spoke with Carlos about her research on the emergence of negative stereotypes of indigenous populations in Guatemala in the 1930s. They also discuss life #withaPhD, building community through social media, and her work leading writing workshops aimed at helping scholars and authors achieve their writing and publishing goals.

Dr. Charles St-Georges of Denison University sat down with Dave McLaughlin to discuss his recent book Haunted Families and Temporal Normativity in Hispanic Horror Films – Troubling Timelines and its exploration of “three recent horror films from the Spanish-speaking world that, rather than explicitly referencing recent political violence, speak to the societal conditions and everyday normative violence that serve as preconditions for political violence.” They also discuss writing strategies, audience, and what’s next on Charly’s research agenda. Originally aired September 10, 2018

Dr. Juan José Ponce-Vázquez joined Carlos and Steven to discuss his research on smuggling in the 17th century Spanish Caribbean. They also discuss writing strategies for finishing the first book, the value of social media, work-life balance, and what lay on Juanjo’s research horizon. Originally September 4, 2018

Historias is back! In this episode, Drs. Erika Edwards, Jackie Sumner, and Dave McLaughlin join Steven to discuss such challenges of academia for junior faculty as experiencing the pressures of insecure employment, navigating tenure requirements, and building lives off campus. Originally aired August 27, 2018

Dr. Jürgen Buchenau joined Steven at the Cervecería Untertürkheim in Buenos Aires to discuss the convincing victory of Andrés Manuel López Obrador in Sunday’s Mexican presidential election. Jürgen also talks AMLO’s roots, his course as a politician over the past quarter century, and what his presidency may mean for Mexico and its future. Originally aired July 6, 2018

Since mid-April, Nicaragua has been in the midst of a severe and sustained political crisis that also features intense political violence. Various sectors of civil society are now in dialogue with the government of Daniel Ortega in search of a path to diminish the violence and return to democratic rule. Tim Rogers, Latin America editor for Fusion, speaks with Steven Hyland to unpack what is going on and why. In an extra time conversation, Steven also talks to Steven Bunker, associate professor of history at the University of Alabama and SECOLAS member who is currently in Nicaragua, about what he is experiencing on the ground. Originally aired June 25, 2018.

HOT TAKE! In this hot take edition of Historias, Dr. Steven Taylor of Troy University talks with Steven to unpack Ivan Duque’s win in Colombia’s presidential runoff election this past Sunday. They also talk about its impact on the peace process and the challenge of the humanitarian crisis and political instability in Venezuela. Originally aired June 19, 2018.

What do heroes and superheroes tell us about Latino and Latina social reality, identity, and belonging in the United States? Dr. Mauricio Espinoza joined Dave McLaughlin to discuss how the figures of the Latino and Latina hero and superhero are used within multiple genres (film, graphic novel, Netflix, etc) to trouble notions of legality and illegality within the U.S. imaginary. Mauricio’s current book project discusses the process and offers vignettes from his research that illuminate how Latina and Latino identities have often been erased or downplayed at the expense of highlighting other characteristics that perpetuate certain myths about what it means to be and look “American.” He also discusses his work as a poet and editor and an upcoming bilingual edited volume he is organizing of selected works by Ohio poets writing in Spanish. Originally aired June 4, 2018.

What do the results of yesterday’s presidential elections in Colombia reveal about this country attempting to exit decades of civil war? Dr. Abbey Steele, an assistant professor in the department of political science at the University of Amsterdam, joined Dave and Steven to discuss the results in this hot take edition of Historias. Dr. Steele’s book Democracy and Displacement in Colombia’s Civil War (Cornell, 2017) explores the violent, tragic consequences of democratic elections and the forced migration of folk in the countryside. Originally aired May 28, 2018.

Migration is a signature feature of the contemporary world that preoccupies still the attention of scholars and the concern of policymakers and the broader public. Dr. Lily Balloffet sits down with Steven to discuss her research on eastern Mediterranean migrants to Argentina, her public outreach, and her interaction with the Museo de la Inmigración in Buenos Aires. In addition, Dr. Balloffet explains her introduction to Digital Humanities and its impact on her work and her pedagogy. Originally aired

What does the development of the tourist industry in San Miguel de Allende teach us about the history of Mexico and the contemporary world? Dr. Lisa Covert joins Carlos and Steven to discuss her new book San Miguel de Allende: Mexicans, Foreigners, and the Making of a World Heritage Site and the importance of understanding local historical memory in the construction of national history. Originally aired May 14, 2018

What can convicts and sailors in the far off Philippines teach us about Spanish imperial history? Dr. Eva Mehl discusses her book Forced Migration in the Spanish Pacific World: From Mexico to the Philippines, 1765-1811 that examines the importance of convicts and sailors in the development of a Spanish Pacific World. Dr. Mehl also talks about some of the methodological challenges and the importance of social history for better understanding the Spanish Philippines. Originally aired on May 7, 2018.

How did Nelson Rockefeller attempt to cultivate positive relationships with Latin America during World War II and what are the legacies of this initiative for inter-American relations? Dr. Monica Rankin speaks with Steven about her forthcoming book on the Office for the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. In addition, she speaks about her role as the Director for the Center for U.S.-Latin American Initiatives and what brings her to Buenos Aires. The podcast was recorded at the historic El Hipopótamo in the San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, which provides the background soundtrack. Originally published on April 30, 2018.

What might the rise of Miguel Díaz-Canel to the Cuban presidency mean for Cuban-U.S. relations and for Cuba itself? In this Historias hot take edition complete with a B side, Dr. Gregory Weeks speaks with Carlos and Steven about the uses of soft and hard power, the transition in Cuba, and how none of us should try to predict the future. On the B-side, Greg discusses SECOLAS’ peer-reviewed journal The Latin Americanist and Steven learns about Peruvian ants. Originally published on April 23, 2018

What explains the endurance of Porfirio Díaz’s rule from 1876 to 1910 in Mexico? Dr. Jaclyn Sumner joins Carlos and Steven to discuss her research on the Porfiriato and how Tlaxcala’s indigenous governor Próspero Cahuantzi (r. 1885-1911) provides important clues to its longevity. As SECOLAS’ current president, she also describes her goals for the organization and why Latin Americanists of all stripes should join us in Oaxaca next March. Originally published on April 16, 2018.

How do nationalist ideas emerge, evolve, and spread? How do urban spaces and the migration of people factor in? Dr. Michael Goebel joins Steven to discuss the arc of his research, ranging from nationalism in twentieth-century Argentina, to anti-imperialist activism in interwar Paris, to comparing urban inequality in specific global port cities between 1850 and 1950. He also comments on his interest in putting into dialogue discrete fields of history, the benefits of this engagement, and the impetus for co-creating the Global Urban History Network. Originally aired on April 9, 2018.