Catholicism and the Cold War in Latin America Conference; University of Oxford

Conference: Catholicism and the Cold War in Latin America Conference, University of Oxford, Oxford, England
November 21 – 22, 2024

Presentation: "Dios, Patria, y Libertad”: Cristeros, Martyrs, and Global Catholicism in Cold War Mexico (1952-1968)

REPORT:

From November 21–22, 2024, I attended the conference “Catholicism and the Cold War in Latin America” at St. Anthony’s College, University of Oxford, UK. The conference featured over 20 scholars in the field, all presenting their up-and-coming research, providing a space to engage with current research and debates in my main field of interest, the impact of Catholicism in 20th-century Latin America. I presented my paper, ““Dios, Patria, y Libertad”: Cristeros, Martyrs, and Global Catholicism in Cold War Mexico (1952–1968),” on the “Cold War Ideals” panel alongside historians Anna Cant (LSE) and Stephan Ruderer (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile).

The feedback I received was of great value. Mainly, I received helpful feedback on my argument, framing the magazine I analyzed in my paper as a “memory project,” and was told this was a concept worth pursuing further. A particular historian recommended some texts to read, a conference I should apply to on memory, and a list of scholars I could contact in the future as I seek to publish this piece. Likewise, engaging with other scholars deepened my understanding of how new ideas are proposed in academia, exemplified by my advisor’s (Jaime Pensado) presentation on the “Catholic Sixties,” a term he is attempting to coin, and discussions surrounding an edited volume emerging from the conference. These conversations revealed to me the processes for identifying common themes across diverse research areas to produce a cohesive scholarly work, in this case, an edited volume.

The conference also offered great networking opportunities. I met new scholars like Dr. Gemma Kloppe-Santamaria (a previous Kellogg Visiting Fellow, in fact) and Dr. Stephen Andes. I reconnected with Dr. Luis Herrán Ávila and Dr. Massimo De Giuseppe, whom I had met through the Kellogg Institute last year. A notable outcome of this conference for me was connecting with a PhD candidate from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, who also presented at the conference. After a lengthy conversation, we decided to submit a joint panel proposal for the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations summer conference. Even if the panel is not accepted, I am grateful for the early career connections I was able to make with this student and other St. Anthony’s students who were present in the audience. 

Overall, this experience enriched my research, expanded my academic network, and provided critical insights into professional practices within Latin American Cold War studies, such as publishing and presenting practices.