Lynn Stephen, Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences and professor of anthropology at the University of Oregon was named vice president of the Latin American Studies Association. She will serve a one-year term as vice president of the association beginning this June. In June 2018, she will become president of the Latin American Studies Association.
The Latin American Studies Association has more than 12,000 members worldwide. More than half of the membership is from outside the United States. An interdisciplinary organization, the association’s stated mission is to “foster intellectual discussion, research, and teaching on Latin America, the Caribbean, and its people.”
Dr. Stephen will look to expand membership in the organization. “Creating ways to both mentor and bring in young scholars is crucial,” Dr. Stephen explains. “It’s crucial in any kind of organization because if you’re not constantly inviting and creating spaces for younger folks, no matter what you’re doing it’s eventually going to hit a wall. Young people bring new ideas and new perspectives.”
Professor Stephen founded the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies at the University of Oregon and served as director for nine years. She is an affiliated faculty member in programs on ethnic studies, Latin American studies, and women’s and gender studies. She is the author of several books including We Are the Face of Oaxaca: Testimony and Social Movements (Duke University Press, 2013).
Professor Stephen is a graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. She holds a Ph.D. from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.