Teofilo Ruiz
Encyclopedia
Teofilo F. Ruiz is a Cuban-American medieval historian and professor, currently at UCLA.
, Ruiz was active during the Cuban Revolution
. At age of 17, he fought against the regime of Fulgencio Batista
. When his friend was killed in 1960, he resigned from the revolution and was immediately imprisoned. Ruiz was eventually released after the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion
(1961) in order to make room for new prisoners of war.
In 1961, Ruiz left Cuba for Miami with "only three changes of clothing, $45, a box of Cuban cigars to sell and a Spanish translation of Jacob Burckhardt
's A History of Greek Civilization." By 1962, Ruiz and two cousins moved from Miami to New York City. He worked at various jobs including as a taxi driver for one year. Despite many obstacles, Ruiz finished his dissertation in the Graduate School of Princeton University
by 1974.
from Princeton University
in 1974. He has taught at Brooklyn College
, the CUNY Graduate Center
, the University of Michigan
, Michigan State University
, the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales
and Princeton University—as 250th Anniversary Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching—before going to UCLA in July 1998. In 1994 he was selected by the Carnegie Foundation
as one of the four Outstanding Teachers of the Year in the United States. He served as chair of the UCLA Department of History from 2002-2005. He has lectured in the USA, Spain, Italy, France, England, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
In 2007, Ruiz was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
for his project on festivals, rituals, and power in late medieval and early modern Spain.
In 2008, Ruiz was named chair of the UCLA Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
He has published many books as well as dozens of articles in scholarly journals as well as reviews and smaller articles.
Early life
Born in CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Ruiz was active during the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
. At age of 17, he fought against the regime of Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
. When his friend was killed in 1960, he resigned from the revolution and was immediately imprisoned. Ruiz was eventually released after the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
(1961) in order to make room for new prisoners of war.
In 1961, Ruiz left Cuba for Miami with "only three changes of clothing, $45, a box of Cuban cigars to sell and a Spanish translation of Jacob Burckhardt
Jacob Burckhardt
Carl Jacob Christoph Burckhardt was a historian of art and culture, and an influential figure in the historiography of each field. He is known as one of the major progenitors of cultural history, albeit in a form very different from how cultural history is conceived and studied in academia today...
's A History of Greek Civilization." By 1962, Ruiz and two cousins moved from Miami to New York City. He worked at various jobs including as a taxi driver for one year. Despite many obstacles, Ruiz finished his dissertation in the Graduate School of Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
by 1974.
Professional background
Ruiz was a student of American medievalist Joseph R. Strayer and received his Ph.D.Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1974. He has taught at Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
, the CUNY Graduate Center
CUNY Graduate Center
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York brings together graduate education, advanced research, and public programming to midtown Manhattan hosting 4,600 students, 33 doctoral programs, 7 master's programs, and 30 research centers and institutes...
, the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales
École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales
The École des hautes études en sciences sociales is a leading French institution for research and higher education, a Grand Établissement. Its mission is research and research training in the social sciences, including the relationship these latter maintain with the natural and life sciences...
and Princeton University—as 250th Anniversary Visiting Professor for Distinguished Teaching—before going to UCLA in July 1998. In 1994 he was selected by the Carnegie Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
as one of the four Outstanding Teachers of the Year in the United States. He served as chair of the UCLA Department of History from 2002-2005. He has lectured in the USA, Spain, Italy, France, England, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
In 2007, Ruiz was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
for his project on festivals, rituals, and power in late medieval and early modern Spain.
In 2008, Ruiz was named chair of the UCLA Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
He has published many books as well as dozens of articles in scholarly journals as well as reviews and smaller articles.
Works
- Medieval Europe and the World : From Late Antiquity to Modernity, 400-1500 (2005) ISBN 0-19-515693-5
- From Heaven to Earth: The Reordering of Castilian Society in the Late Middle Ages (2004) ISBN 0-691-00121-9
- Spanish Society, 1400-1600 (Social History of Europe) (2002) ISBN 0-582-28691-3
- Crisis and Continuity: Land and Town in Late Medieval Castile (1994) ISBN 0-8122-3228-3
- The City and the Realm: Burgos and Castile 1080-1492 (1992) ISBN 0-86078-329-4
- Medieval Spain, 711-1492 ISBN 1-57524-052-1
- Medieval Europe: Crisis and Renewal. Course No. 863 The Teaching Company ISBN 1-56585-710-0
- The Terror of History: Mystics, Heretics, and Witches in the Western Tradition. Course No. 893 The Teaching Company, 2002
- Other 1492: Ferdinand, Isabella, and the Making of an Empire. Course No. 899 The Teaching Company