Richard Velazquez Perales

Richard is a Ph.D. candidate in Latin American History at Yale University. His research explores the long Mexican Revolution in Guanajuato, Mexico, with a particular emphasis on land expropriation and the development of the collective ejido. Centered on his terruño of Comonfort, his dissertation examines how indigenous Hñähñu communities mobilized for agrarismo within the predominantly mestizo state of Guanajuato—a region also known for its role in the Cristero movement. By tracing shifts in revolutionary strategy, political theory, and local praxis throughout the 20th century, his work offers a deeper understanding of the ejido’s transformation from the era of the Mexican Miracle through the rise of neoliberalism at the turn of the century.

 

Richard Velázquez Perales graduated from the University of North Texas in 2014 with a B.A. in History, International Studies, and Spanish. He also holds an M.A. in History from the University of Oregon.