Arizona State University Pan-American Initiative

[conceptualized; in planning stages; project implementation and launch: 2003]

The ASU Pan-American Initiative is a series of programs to promote teaching and research in all aspects of Latino culture and society broadly defined as found in the Americas. We will enhance our study of the borderlands, deepening our understanding of these transnational communities, societies, and cultures of the American Southwest. Beyond the borderlands, we will engage in productive social, economic and cultural dialogue with Mexico and Central and South America.

The communities of the borderlands are uniquely advantaged and disadvantaged at the same time. Situated between two cultures, they exist in a social, economic, cultural, and political context that demands closer examination. Disciplines that may come to bear on this research include history, economics, political science, geography, sociology, both English and Latin American literatures, and may include scientific research addressing environmental and health challenges.

Turning our focus from the borderlands further south, Arizona State University will also develop an initiative devoted to engaging the nations and cultures of Latin America. We hope to bring new dimension to teaching and scholarship on Mexico and Latin America, particularly with an interdisciplinary emphasis not only on culture and society, but also on advancing technology, increasing scientific understanding, helping to reduce poverty, and promoting sustainable development. At the same time, we hope to discern new possibilities for global engagement, not only for the nations and peoples of Latin America, but for those of us north of the border. I am committed to these issues and hope to engage in collaborative teaching, research, and knowledge transfer with academic institutions in Latin America.