Monica DeHart

Associate Professor of Anthropology, Comparative Sociology
Director, Latin American Studies

Education

Research Interests

My work focuses on the intersection between development and identity politics, especially in relation to Latin America. I have researched the cultural politics of development among indigenous development organizations in Guatemala and also within United-Nations' sponsored projects with Latinos in the United States. I am especially interested in the role that gender, class, and ethnic difference play in shaping people's identities and relations within transnational communities and development projects. Given the significance of transnational migration and diaspora for both grassroots and institutional development strategies, my work has examined how members of diverse Latino communities negotiate visibility and authenticity in overlapping transnational social fields.

My current research takes up the question of how China’s increasing presence in Latin America is changing the definitions, practices, and politics of economic development in the region.

Recent Publications

Ethnic Entrepreneurs: Identity and Development Politics in Latin America (2010) Stanford: Stanford University Press.

Courses