Austin College fall symposium: “Mesoamerica and Beyond: A Look at Origins and Lifeworlds”

The Austin College Center for Southwestern andMexican Studies is hosting two lectures this week for its annual fall symposium, focusing this year on “Mesoamerica and Beyond: A Look at Origins and Lifeworlds” and examining ancient México, the Caribbean, and South America. Both lectures are free and open to the public.

Austin College Wright Center

Dr. Robert Kruger will present “Seeds of a Civilization: Mesoamerica and the Mighty Corn Plant at its Heart” on Wednesday, October 22, at 4:30 p.m. in Wright Campus Center, Room 231.

Dr. Iván Márquez will speak Thursday, October 23, at 11 a.m. in Wright Campus Center, Room 231, sharing “Philosophical Reflections on Indigenous Mesoamerican, South American, and Afro-Caribbean Lifeworlds.”

Kruger holds a Ph.D. in anthropology, specializing in Mesoamerican archaeology, from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a specialist in Olmec culture, with research interests in the socioeconomic organization of the household and how they integrate into larger sociopolitical structures, as well as early uses of domesticated plants, especially Zea mays (corn) among the Olmec. He teaches archaeology at the Universidad Veracruzana in Veracruz, Mexico, and is the resident director of BCA Study Abroad Mexico – Xalapa, Veracruz, where he has developed interactive experiences in social justice for BCA students through cooperative efforts with Matraca A.C., an organization working with child workers on the streets of Xalapa.

Márquez is a member of the faculty at Texas State University where he teaches a wide range of philosophy courses. He received his doctorate from Indiana University. His recent research focuses on contemporary Latin American social and political thought, hybridization, postoccidentalism, postdevelopment, and transmodernity.

Julie Hempel, associate professor of Spanish at Austin College, is director of the College’s Center for Southwestern and Mexican Studies.

The Austin College Center for Southwestern and Mexican Studies promotes collaborative learning between students of the College and faculty members, with special emphasis on the historical, cultural, social, economic, and political issues facing Texas and Mexico. The Center seeks to prepare its students, and the College community at large, to meet challenges and opportunities focusing on the relationship between Mexico and the southwestern United States.

About Austin College

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.

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