CENTER Staff
Richard Snyder, Director & Concentration Advisor
Richard Snyder is Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Brown University. He is the author of Politics after Neoliberalism: Reregulation in Mexico (Cambridge University Press, 2001), and Passion, Craft and Method in Comparative Politics (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007, with Gerardo L. Munck). He is also the editor of three volumes on the political economy of rural Mexico (Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, University of California, San Diego, 1998-2000). With Patrick Heller and Dietrich Rueschemeyer, he recently edited a special issue of the journal Studies in Comparative International Development on “Dependency and Development in a Globalized World” (Winter 2009). His articles on comparative politics and the political economy of development have appeared in journals such as British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Politics, Desarollo Económico, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Democracy, Política y Gobierno, Studies in Comparative International Development, and World Politics. In Latin America, his research has been published in journals in Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico. His current research focuses on the unintended consequences of efforts to control the production of illicit drugs in the Andean countries, and on how reliance on foreign funding affects the social sciences across Latin America.
Susan Hirsch, Center Administrative Manager
Susan Hirsch, a graduate of George Washington University, has supported and coordinated the Center's work for seven years as Administrative Manager and Program Coordinator. Previously, Susan also served as Program Coordinator for the Program for Political Economy and Development at the Watson Institute and as Administrative Assistant for the Brown University Center for Biomedical Engineering. As Administrative Manager and Program Coordinator, Susan organizes an assortment of lectures, seminars and receptions, oversees the undergraduate concentration, and manages the Center's many grants and fellowships.
José Torrealba, Outreach Coordinator & Executive Director of New England Festival of Ibero-American Cinema (NEFIAC)
José Torrealba is a graduate of Concordia University with a BFA in film production. Before coming to the US, Torrealba worked with the National Film Board of Canada in a documentary project as part of a competition award. José is also the Executive Director of the New England Festival of Ibero-American Cinema (NEFIAC). His position as the Festival’s Director allows him to not only develop the Center’s connections but also expand CLACS’ recognition and outreach to the local Hispanic, Portuguese and Haitian populations, as well as the general community.
AFFILIATEd LIBRARIANS
Patricia Figueroa: Curator of Iberian and Latin American Collections
A former Chair of the Latin American Northeast Libraries, Patricia Figueroa is Curator of Iberian and Latin American Collections for Brown University Libraries since 2001. As Curator, she is responsible for planning and carrying out the effective development of the Spanish, Portuguese, Latin American, and Caribbean collections at Brown University Library. She also provides advanced reference services to students and faculty, assists in the use of print and online information resources, and provides sessions for orientation and bibliographic instruction.
Dominique Coulombe: Senior Scholarly Resources Librarian, Francophone African and Caribbean Studies
Currently the Senior Scholarly Resources Librarian for Francophone Africa and the Caribbean, Dominique Coulombe has worked for Brown University Libraries since 1990. She is the Project Coordinator of "Literature and Culture of Francophone Africa and the Diaspora", an online resource and is also the Chair of the Global Resources Network Collaborative Initiative for French Language Collections.
STUDENT ASSISTANTS
Emily Goldman : Undergraduate Assistant
Erin Beck : Graduate Student Coordinator