This week I met with another UA professor to learn more about his work in border studies. I know the majority of my posts relate to people at the UA, but so many insightful people work here! So today I went to my professor’s office, Oscar Martinez. I’m currently taking his U.S.-Mexico Border Region class.
Martinez first began teaching border studies courses in the late 1970’s in Texas, when border studies did not necessarily exist. There was little written on the subject, so readings for his classes were difficult to come by. In 1976, Martinez and others formed the Association for Borderland Studies (ABS)- when they began doing their own research for the courses on the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. ABS however, is now an international scholarly organization that comprehensively studies borders throughout the world.
“There were articles and some books about the border, but they were part of something else. That’s how any field starts,” Martinez said about the lack of material in the beginning stages.
His most recent book, Troublesome Border, highlights many of his interests in the region. From historical perspectives in Border Indians, to Mexican border states becoming dependent on the U.S. in Foreign Dependence, he says his broad interests come from how the border works- the relationship between one side and the other, how it unites and divides.
Martinez’ classes are often based on books he has written, which he says all relate to his broad interests in the area. He currently has a book in progress about economic development in Mexico titled Why Mexico is Poorer than the U.S.
A Look At Border Studies 