Claudio Lomnitz
Encyclopedia
Claudio Lomnitz is the William H. Ransford Professor of Anthropology
at Columbia University
. Prior to teaching at Columbia, Lomnitz was a Distinguished University Professor of Anthropology and Chair of the Committee on Historical Studies at the New School University, one of three professors in the recently formed department. He has also taught at University of Chicago
, where he was Professor of History, New York University
, El Colegio de México
, and Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa
, in Mexico City. At the New School University, Lomnitz was appointed editor of the academic journal
Public Culture
, which moved with him to Columbia University in 2006. He continues to serve as its editor today.
Born in Chile
, Lomnitz received his undergraduate degree from Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa
. In 1982, Fondo de Cultura Económica
published his first book, a study of politics and cultural change in Tepoztlán
entitled Evolución de una sociedad rural. His interest in Latin America
developed further as he pursued a Ph.D in Anthropology from Stanford University
, receiving it in 1987. His next book, Exits from the Labyrinth: Culture and Ideology in the Mexican National Space, published by University of California Press
in 1992, was an important intervention in the study of nationalist ideology and its relationship to the involved community. He has since written three other books on Mexico, Modernidad Indiana: 9 ensayos sobre nación y mediación en México published by Planeta in 1999, Deep Mexico, Silent Mexico: An Anthropology of Nationalism published by University of Minnesota Press
in 2001 and described by Lomnitz as an expansion of ideas explored in Exits from the Labyrinth, and Death and the Idea of Mexico, published by Zone Books in 2005.
Lomnitz also wrote a weekly column in Excélsior
, a daily newspaper published in Mexico City for some years, and serves as Director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race.
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Prior to teaching at Columbia, Lomnitz was a Distinguished University Professor of Anthropology and Chair of the Committee on Historical Studies at the New School University, one of three professors in the recently formed department. He has also taught at University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, where he was Professor of History, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, El Colegio de México
El Colegio de México
El Colegio de México, A.C. is a prestigious Mexican institute of higher education, specializing in teaching and research in the social sciences and the humanities...
, and Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana
The Metropolitan Autonomous University is a public university located in Mexico City, Mexico...
, in Mexico City. At the New School University, Lomnitz was appointed editor of the academic journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
Public Culture
Public Culture
Public Culture is a reviewed interdisciplinary academic journal of cultural studies, founded in 1988 by anthropologists Carol Breckenridge and Arjun Appadurai...
, which moved with him to Columbia University in 2006. He continues to serve as its editor today.
Born in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Lomnitz received his undergraduate degree from Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa
Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana
The Metropolitan Autonomous University is a public university located in Mexico City, Mexico...
. In 1982, Fondo de Cultura Económica
Fondo de Cultura Económica
Fondo de Cultura Económica is the most important publishing house in Mexico and one of the most important ones in Latin America. It was originally established in 1934 by Daniel Cosío Villegas as a way to provide students of economics with books in Spanish on the subject...
published his first book, a study of politics and cultural change in Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán is a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located at in the heart of the Tepoztlán Valley. The town serves as the seat of government for the municipality of the same name. The town had a population of 14,130 inhabitants, while the municipality reported 41,629 inhabitants in the...
entitled Evolución de una sociedad rural. His interest in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
developed further as he pursued a Ph.D in Anthropology from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, receiving it in 1987. His next book, Exits from the Labyrinth: Culture and Ideology in the Mexican National Space, published by University of California Press
University of California Press
University of California Press, also known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish books and papers for the faculty of the University of California, established 25 years earlier in 1868...
in 1992, was an important intervention in the study of nationalist ideology and its relationship to the involved community. He has since written three other books on Mexico, Modernidad Indiana: 9 ensayos sobre nación y mediación en México published by Planeta in 1999, Deep Mexico, Silent Mexico: An Anthropology of Nationalism published by University of Minnesota Press
University of Minnesota Press
The University of Minnesota Press is a university press that is part of the University of Minnesota.Founded in 1925, the University of Minnesota Press is best known for its books in social and cultural thought, critical theory, race and ethnic studies, urbanism, feminist criticism, and media...
in 2001 and described by Lomnitz as an expansion of ideas explored in Exits from the Labyrinth, and Death and the Idea of Mexico, published by Zone Books in 2005.
Lomnitz also wrote a weekly column in Excélsior
Excélsior
Excélsior is a daily newspaper, founded by Rafael Alducin and published in Mexico City since 1917.During the 1950s and 1960s, the newspaper's editorial stance was of a relatively liberal bent, under the editorship of Julio Scherer...
, a daily newspaper published in Mexico City for some years, and serves as Director of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race.