McNair Scholar 2023 - Gabriella Diaz
Gabriella Diaz is a senior at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, majoring in Global Studies with a focus on human rights and Latin America. Her research interests revolve around education and its impact on political consciousness, social activism, and the economy. Ms. Diaz plans on getting her Ph.D. in International Affairs.
Quote from José Martí
"To educate is to give man the keys to the world, which are independence and love, and to give him strength to journey on his own, light of step, a spontaneous and free being."
Research project
Education and Political Consciousness: A Comparative Analysis of Chile, Cuba, and the United States
Abstract: The 1960s and 1970s were a politically tumultuous time in Chile, Cuba, and the United States. The dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile, the rule of Fulgencio Batista in Cuba, and the counterculture movement in the United States all ignited political and social movements that transformed the socio-political landscape in each country. At the same time, education underwent profound changes at all of its levels. This study analyzes both countries' principled rationale and practical educational curriculum in the 1960s and 1970s, and the relationship between society and government. To do so, I will analyze each country’s model of education, along with the level of political consciousness, and how these concepts reveal definitions of growth and political values.
Faculty mentor
Nancy Luxon is currently an associate professor in the Political Science department at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Dr. Luxon attended the University of California, San Diego where she received her Ph.D. in Political Science in 2005. Her current research focuses on decolonization, colonial subjectivities, and the psychosocial effects of trauma in the Maghreb. Dr. Luxon is the author of multiple books and essays, and has been invited to numerous national and international talks.