Dr. Victor Rivas

Biography

Victor Rivas is an Assistant Professor in Latin American Literary and Cultural Studies. Originally from Venezuela, he has worked as a journalist and media specialist. He received his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. His research focuses on Latin American testimonio, narratives of resistance, and contestatory discourses emerging from political movements and social justice struggles, emphasizing decolonizing knowledge and indigenous rights. He is conducting research on 21st-century emerging narratives of resistance in Bolivarian nations, including Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. His latest research proposal is titled "New Latin American testimonios: Venezuelan Diasporic Narratives in Canada Abroad," which has received funding from the Connaught New Researcher Award. Professor Rivas is the author of "Incursiones culturales: el testimonio posmoderno de Alí Gómez García" (2016) and has produced a series of documentary films about socially committed artists in Venezuela. Recent seminars he has taught include New Latin American Narratives of Resistance and Latin American Novel of the 20th and 21st Century. His course offerings in Latin American Studies also include Introduction to Latin American Studies and Critical Perspectives on Development and Volunteerism in Latin America.

Research Interests