The International Academic Community for the Defense of Cholula

The vast archeological richness of Mexico has continued to amaze the world since the first explorations of scholars and lithographers - German, French, British and Americans in the nineteenth century reported the first pictorial records of different Pre-Hispanic sites in Mesoamerica.

The rescue and conservation efforts transcend borders.  The conservation of these archaeological monuments not only concerns Mexican authorities and researchers but the vast community of social scientists that have turned their analytical gaze to participate in the understanding of this great civilization in the Americas.

All of the archaeologists, historians and anthropologists, participants at the 55th International Congress of Americanists (San Salvador, July 2015) are appalled at the news about the irreversible impact on the archaeological site of Cholula, Puebla, whose Great Pyramid is the most voluminous religious building in all pre-Columbian America, which shared its moment of glory with Teotihuacan.

The reason for this is to construct a park for the purposes of tourism and trade promotion.

For these reasons, we ask that you consider the following points:

1)      Given the importance of the city of Cholula in central Mesoamerica since the dawn of our era, we make a strong recommendation that the legal provisions, on the archaeological zone of Cholula, are complied with. In such a way that the invasive recreational project make way for a program and permanent archaeological surveys, that due to construction have been interrupted for nearly six decades. We believe that the result could lead to the extension of the archaeological site area and show the public key findings, some already documented, underlying the affected lands. An archeological park would also bring tourism and have a greater commercial impact on a national and international level.

2)      We call on the representative of UNESCO in Mexico to apply the archaeological site Cholula to be constituted a cultural heritage site, which includes the huge ceremonial center, surrounding the Great Pyramid. This would lead to enroll the "sacred city" of Cholula on the list of World Heritage sites, which would give it proper historical legitimization.  It also would provide it with the place it deserves in the world archaeological record and the invulnerability this distinction confers, both necessary to meet the imminent urgency the sites preservation.

 

Jesuit Universidad Iberoamericana Faculty from Puebla Collaborate with Sociology/Anthropology Department

During the month of July several faculty from the Jesuit Universidad Iberoamericana - Puebla visited and carried out a seminar on Inequality, Salaries, and Migration at the Sociology/Anthropology Department at Fordham University.  The seminar counted with the participation of the following Ibero faculty and students: Dr. Miguel Angel Reyes, Prof. Miguel Lopez, and seven Ibero seniors (including Ricardo Pacheco and Mónica Gudiño), as well as, Dr. Humberto Morales Moreno (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla).  Meanwhile Fordham faculty  Dr. Darryl Mcleod (economics department), and Prof. O. Hugo Benavides also participated in the seminar along with Dr. Maria Amelia Viteri (Universidad San Francisco - Quito) and the graduate student Maria José Soto (also from Universidad Iberoamericana - Puebla).

Foreign cohort from Universidad Iberoamericana, including Profs. Humberto Morales Moreno and Miguel Lopez Lopez, and seniors from their Business and Economics department.

Richard Pacheco's presentation at the seminar.

 

The seminar is part of a larger international and interdisciplinary project spearheaded by Dr. Miguel Angel Reyes, that is currently applying for funding from the Mexican's government national research agency, CONACYT.  The project looks to research and integrate economic factors that affect migrants across the Americas, starting with the particular case studies of Mexican migrants in New York City, USA, and Bolivian migrants in Barcelona, Spain.  The international research team includes several migration specialists and anthropologist including Dr. Sonia Parella (Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona), Dr. Marcela Ibarra (Universidad Iberoamericana - Puebla), and Prof. O. Hugo Benavides (Fordham University).

Puebla cohort with Fordham University Professors, Dr. Daryl Mcleod (Economics Department) and Dr. O. Hugo Benavides (Sociology/Anthropology Department).

 

Dr, Miguel Reyes (Universidad Iberoamericana - Puebla) presenting at the Seminar on Inequality, Salaries and Migration at Fordham University, July. 

 

Ecuadorian Scholar from Quito's "Universidad de San Francisco" Visits LALSI and Sociology/Anthropology Department

As a Visiting Scholar (co-sponsored with LALSI), Dr. Maria Amelia Viteri, Associate Professor at University of San Francisco, Quito (USFQ), developed the working group entitled “Queer/Cuir Americas” that seeks to collaborate and promote further debates on sexualities and its theories from a global southern perspective ranging from Southern Genealogies and Epistemologies to structural inequality and modernity. The working group is formed by 20 scholars from Universities throughout the Americas including Iberoamérica.  The first workshop will take place in May 24, 2016, at Fordham, Lincoln campus thanks to LALSI's support through its Director, Dr. Arnaldo Cruz-Malavé.  Some of its main debates will continue as a panel at LASA (Latin American Studies Association) meetings in 2016 that will take place in NYC.  The group is also currently working towards a publication that captures some of the salient discussions and debates originated from these two events.

Dr. Maria Amelia Viteri (Universidad San Francisco - Quito) participating in the seminar, Seminar on Inequality, Salaries and Migration at Fordham University in July (she is seated on the top far right corner). 

 

As part of the burgeoning Ecuadorian Studies Center (the first center of its kind in the country), along with Prof. Hugo Benavides, they will be collaborating with the Ecuadorian Film Showcase in NYC during June 2016 through academic and video-forums, as part of their efforts to continue developing the initiative between Fordham, USFQ and the Center, considering that Dr. Viteri is the Founder of the Ecuadorian Film Showcase that started in Washington D.C. in 2008.

 

Profs. Maria Amelia Viteri (Universidad San Francisco - Quito), Miguel Lopez and Miguel Reyes (Universidad Iberoamericana - Puebla), and O. Hugo Benavides (Fordham University).

 

Summer Student Research Grants

11 of the 22 summer grants, between Rose Hill and Lincoln Center, were awarded to students working with faculty in our department.  How is that for supporting undergraduate research? 

 

In the spirit of celebrating our department and faculty--recipients of the undergraduate research grants in the social sciences and humanities have been announced. Out of 13 funded projects, six are associated with our department (student and faculty):

• Dr. Micki McGee is advising three American Studies students - Sarah Allison, Tim Bouffard and Julia Lewis.
• Dr. Emily Rosenbaum is advising Corina Minden-Birkenmaier.
• Dr. Emily Rosenbaum and Dr. Orit Avishai are co-advising Anthoula Vasiliou.
• Prof. Kimberly Consroe is advising Joseph Guarnaccia.
• Dr. Aseel Sawalha is advising two Anthropology students - Jeanelle Augustin and Cynthia Caceres.
• Dr. Ronald Nerios is advising Gilbert Travis.
• Prof. Amikole Maraesa is advising two Anthropology students - Rochelle Fleisher and Casey Grittner.