Dr. Edisson Aguilar Torres

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Edisson Aguilar Torres is a historian specializing in technology and Latin America. His research focuses on the interconnection between state formation and the construction of small-scale infrastructure, particularly in relation to water supply systems in the Colombian countryside during the 20th century. His book manuscript, 'Pipes Community: Water, Infrastructure, State Formation Colombia, 1942–1989,' challenges the notion that the state is an overly centralizing project that destroys local knowledge and practices by imposing large-scale infrastructures. Instead, it illustrates how the Colombian state opted to partially delegate water provision in rural areas to local communities, using a system that relied on state engineering, small-scale water supply systems, local management, maintenance, and Indigenous peasant labor traditions. This decision was shaped by ideals of citizenship and participation alongside practical concerns about the costs of the state providing public goods directly. His research highlights the socio-technical systems that have dominated water supply in Colombian rural areas and reveals the significance of small-scale technology in understanding the landscape of modernity.

Research Interests

Awards

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MA Modern History Prize

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Postgraduate & Postdoctoral Research Support Award

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Hans Rausing Scholarship

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Leverhulme Study Abroad Studentship

Requirements for Northwestern University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
U.S. Bachelor's degree or equivalent
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose
  • Resume/CV
  • TOEFL/IELTS scores (if applicable)
Specialization Notes

Standard PhD requirements for TGS departments including Chemistry, Physics, and Sociology.