Latino/a Studies hopes prof will boost profile
By: Eugene Wang
Issue date: 9/26/07 Section: News
Last update: 9/26/07 at 6:30 AM EST
Last update: 9/26/07 at 6:30 AM EST
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For the past 10 years, Latino/a Studies has been gradually gaining a presence on campus, but it has lacked a distinguished figure on its faculty to anchor it.
This August, however, the University attracted José Saldívar, a professor of English and literature, from the University of California at Berkeley to be the new director of Latino/a Studies.
Saldívar, who was the director of the Department of Ethnic Studies at UC-Berkeley, has written several books on American literature and won numerous awards for his work in literary criticism.
"With Professor Saldívar here now, we expect our growth to be much more exponential," said Jenny Snead Williams, program coordinator for Latino/a Studies. "We have more University support with Professor Saldívar's arrival here at Duke because of the leadership that he can bring to oversee so many new areas of development."
Saldívar turned down an earlier offer to teach at Duke because his wife had her own business in California, said Walter Mignolo, professor of literature, cultural anthropology and romance studies.
"It was a wonderful opportunity coming from Duke, but we just weren't able to work out all of our familial issues at that time," Saldívar said.
Now at Duke, Saldívar said he hopes to expand Latino/a Studies, engage the growing North Carolina Latino population and create a certificate program.
"We would like to become more visible and have a more exciting intellectual presence on this campus," he said. "More particularly, because of the changing demographic of North Carolina... our program should be grappling with how to help these immigrant communities."
Saldívar noted that there has been a 400-percent "explosion" of Mexican and Latin American immigrants in the state. This has created a need to address public policy, health care and education issues for the immigrant population, he said.
"Like [African and African American Studies] and other programs at Duke, we have a broader focus not just on our academic community, which is really important for us, but also a larger community outside of Duke," Saldívar said.
This August, however, the University attracted José Saldívar, a professor of English and literature, from the University of California at Berkeley to be the new director of Latino/a Studies.
Saldívar, who was the director of the Department of Ethnic Studies at UC-Berkeley, has written several books on American literature and won numerous awards for his work in literary criticism.
"With Professor Saldívar here now, we expect our growth to be much more exponential," said Jenny Snead Williams, program coordinator for Latino/a Studies. "We have more University support with Professor Saldívar's arrival here at Duke because of the leadership that he can bring to oversee so many new areas of development."
Saldívar turned down an earlier offer to teach at Duke because his wife had her own business in California, said Walter Mignolo, professor of literature, cultural anthropology and romance studies.
"It was a wonderful opportunity coming from Duke, but we just weren't able to work out all of our familial issues at that time," Saldívar said.
Now at Duke, Saldívar said he hopes to expand Latino/a Studies, engage the growing North Carolina Latino population and create a certificate program.
"We would like to become more visible and have a more exciting intellectual presence on this campus," he said. "More particularly, because of the changing demographic of North Carolina... our program should be grappling with how to help these immigrant communities."
Saldívar noted that there has been a 400-percent "explosion" of Mexican and Latin American immigrants in the state. This has created a need to address public policy, health care and education issues for the immigrant population, he said.
"Like [African and African American Studies] and other programs at Duke, we have a broader focus not just on our academic community, which is really important for us, but also a larger community outside of Duke," Saldívar said.
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