About the Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professors in Latin American Studies

The Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professorship in Latin American Studies was created at Harvard University in 1986 through a generous gift from Edmond Safra and the Republic of New York Corporation. The endowment enables Harvard to regularly invite eminent Latin Americans from any field, a composer one year, an historian the next, an architect, physiologist, legal scholar, banker, novelist, poet, economist, sociologist, anthropologist, to teach at the University for one semester. DRCLAS has appointed two RFK Professorships to distinguised Cuban scholars. 

Rafael M. Hernandez Rodriguez

In 2006-2007, Rafael M. Hernández Rodríguez served as the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Visiting Professor in Latin American Studies at Harvard University.  Mr. Hernández, who is the Editor of TEMAS and a Senior Research Fellow at the Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo de la Cultura Cubana 'Juan Marinello. In welcoming him to DRCLAS, Director Merilee Grindle noted that 'He is a scholar of international stature who will add measurably to Harvard's expertise in the history and development of Cuba."

Mr. Hernández, who is also a professor and researcher at the University of Havana, the Instituto Superior de las Relaciones Internaciónales (ISRI) 'Rael Roa García,' and the Centro de Estudios sobre America (CEA) in Cuba, was in residence at Harvard in the Department of History during the fall 2006 semester. He is a scholar of Cuban and U.S. policies, inter-American relations, international security, migration and Cuban culture, society and politics, and is co-editor of, U.S.-Cuban Relations in the 1990s, with Jorge I. Domínguez (Westview Press, 1989) and the founding editor of TEMAS, a Cuban quarterly in the field of social sciences and the humanities. A published poet and playwright, Rafael M. Hernández was the editor and founder of Cuadernos de Nuestra America, the journal published by the Centro de Estudios sobre America, where he was director of North American studies for 18 years.

While at Harvard, Professor Hernández taught an undergraduate course in the History Department titled: 'Cuba: Culture and Society', History 1733 as well as a graduate course titled 'United States-Cuban Relations', History 2733 or ISP-238. 

 Mario Coyula Cowley

In 2001-2, the renowned Cuban architect and urban planner, Mario Coyula Cowley, was named as the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Visiting Professor in Latin American Studies at Harvard University. While at Harvard University, Professor Coyula taught as seminar at the Graduate School of Design.