Francisco Vázquez
Encyclopedia
Francisco H. Vázquez is a Mexican-American scholar and public intellectual. Vázquez is currently a tenured professor
of the history
of idea
s and director of the Hutchins Institute for Public Policy Studies and Community Action at the nationally-known Hutchins School of Liberal Studies at Sonoma State University
. He is also the director of the Hutchins Institute for Public Policy Studies and Community Action. He co-authored the prominent book Latino/a Thought: Culture, Politics, and Society, (Rowman & Littlefield) with University of California Irvine professor Rodolfo D. Torres in 2003. A second edition by Vázquez alone was issued on December, 2008.
. His mother was born in Colorado
and his father in Jalisco, and he has traveled between the two countries and the two cultures since the age of five. After going through an ESL
program in San Pedro
, California
, he attended Phineas Banning High School
from which he graduated with honors. He then entered Claremont Men's College (now McKenna) where he received a B.A. in philosophy
and continued his studies at the Claremont Graduate University
where he was awarded a Doctorate
in European Intellectual History. 1
in Los Angeles
. Four years later he was offered a position at World College West
(a private college in Petaluma, now closed) to direct the World Study and Mexico Program. This teaching position entailed living in Morelia
, Michoacán
, in the fall and winter, and in Petaluma in the spring, supervising a group of students doing language study and field research. During this time he established close relationships with the P'urhepecha
people of Michoacán (also known as Tarascans). 1
in the fall of 1989, Vázquez has taught in the Departments of Mexican-American Studies, History
, English
and in the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies. Presently he is a tenured Professor in the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies and faculty advisor of the Student Congress. 1
Other publications of Vázquez include "Philosophy in Mexico: The Opium of the Intellectuals or a Prophetic Insight," Canadian Journal of Political and Social Theory, Vol. 4, No. 3 (1980) and "Chicanology: A Postmodern Analysis of Meshicano Discourse," Perspectives in Mexican American Studies, Vol. 3 (1992). 2
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of the history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of idea
Idea
In the most narrow sense, an idea is just whatever is before the mind when one thinks. Very often, ideas are construed as representational images; i.e. images of some object. In other contexts, ideas are taken to be concepts, although abstract concepts do not necessarily appear as images...
s and director of the Hutchins Institute for Public Policy Studies and Community Action at the nationally-known Hutchins School of Liberal Studies at Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
. He is also the director of the Hutchins Institute for Public Policy Studies and Community Action. He co-authored the prominent book Latino/a Thought: Culture, Politics, and Society, (Rowman & Littlefield) with University of California Irvine professor Rodolfo D. Torres in 2003. A second edition by Vázquez alone was issued on December, 2008.
Early years
Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Vázquez was educated in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His mother was born in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and his father in Jalisco, and he has traveled between the two countries and the two cultures since the age of five. After going through an ESL
ESL
ESL is a common abbreviation for English as a Second Language, see English language learning and teaching.ESL may also refer to:-Companies:...
program in San Pedro
San Pedro, Los Angeles, California
San Pedro is a port district of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was annexed in 1909 and is a major seaport of the area...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, he attended Phineas Banning High School
Banning High School
Phineas Banning High School is located in the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States, and is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.- History :...
from which he graduated with honors. He then entered Claremont Men's College (now McKenna) where he received a B.A. in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and continued his studies at the Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Graduate University is a private, all-graduate research university located in Claremont, California, a city east of downtown Los Angeles...
where he was awarded a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in European Intellectual History. 1
Early work
After teaching and doing administrative work at the Claremont Colleges, he accepted the position of Chair of the Chicano Studies Department at Loyola Marymount UniversityLoyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Four years later he was offered a position at World College West
World College West
World College West was an undergraduate liberal arts college in Marin County, California. Founded by Dr. Richard M. Gray, it offered a program that integrated a grounding in the liberal arts with work-study and a required two-quarter "World Study" in a developing country...
(a private college in Petaluma, now closed) to direct the World Study and Mexico Program. This teaching position entailed living in Morelia
Morelia
Morelia is a city and municipality in the north central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the P'urhépecha and the Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the...
, Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, in the fall and winter, and in Petaluma in the spring, supervising a group of students doing language study and field research. During this time he established close relationships with the P'urhepecha
P'urhépecha
The P'urhépecha, normally spelled Purépecha in Spanish and in English and traditionally referred to as Tarascans, are an indigenous people centered in the northwestern region of the Mexican state of Michoacán, principally in the area of the cities of Uruapan and Pátzcuaro...
people of Michoacán (also known as Tarascans). 1
Recent work
After six years of changing realities every six months, especially after the birth of his daughter Sofia Eréndira, he and his wife Rosa María decided to settle in Sonoma County. Starting at Sonoma State UniversitySonoma State University
Sonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
in the fall of 1989, Vázquez has taught in the Departments of Mexican-American Studies, History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and in the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies. Presently he is a tenured Professor in the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies and faculty advisor of the Student Congress. 1
Publications
In August of 2002, along with his colleague Rodolfo D. Torres, Vázquez published the book Latino/a Thought: Culture, Politics, and Society. "Latino/a Thought brings together the most important writings that shape Latino consciousness, culture, and activism today" --from the back-cover of Latino/a Thought. A second edition by Vázquez alone was issued on December, 2008. It is available at http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com/ISBN/0742563545Other publications of Vázquez include "Philosophy in Mexico: The Opium of the Intellectuals or a Prophetic Insight," Canadian Journal of Political and Social Theory, Vol. 4, No. 3 (1980) and "Chicanology: A Postmodern Analysis of Meshicano Discourse," Perspectives in Mexican American Studies, Vol. 3 (1992). 2