Each year, the Center invites faculty members to nominate eminent scholars or practitioners for the Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professorship in Latin American Studies. RFK Professors may be appointed in any department or school of the University, but must be currently residing in Latin America and are typically appointed for one semester.

Spring 2008 (current)

Luis Carlos Ugalde received a Ph.D. in political science (1999) and a master's degree in political science (1994) and public administration (1992), all from Columbia University. He also holds a B.A. in economics from the ITAM (1990).

Luis Carlos Ugalde was a professor of political science and chair of the undergraduate program in political science and international relations at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) in Mexico City. He has been a researcher and adjunct professor at various academic institutions, including Harvard University's David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (2001); Georgetown University (2002): American University (2000); the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico, ITAM, (1989-1996); and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Studies, ITESM, (2003).

In addition to his academic career, he has worked in the Mexican government; he was chief of staff to the Secretary of Energy in 1997 and chief of staff at Mexico's embassy to the United States of America from 1997 to 2000. He was appointed president of the Federal Electoral Institute by the Congress of Mexico in October 2003 where he served until December 2007.

While at Harvard for the Spring 2008 semester, Professor Ugalde will teach a course in the Government department on Latin American politics.

Fall 2007

Rafael Fernández de Castro is the Founding Chair of the Department of International Studies at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). He earned a BA in Political Science at ITAM, a Master’s in Public Policy at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of the University of Texas at Austin, and a Ph. D. in Political Science from Georgetown University.

Dr. Fernández de Castro is an expert on the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States, as well as in Mexican foreign policy. On these issues he has published numerous articles and several books, including United States and Mexico: Between Partnership and Conflict with Jorge Domínguez, The Controversial Pivot: The U.S. Congress and North America with Robert Pastor, and La agenda internacional de México 2006-2012 (2006). Rafael Fernández de Castro is also the editor of Foreign Affairs en Español, the sister magazine of Foreign Affairs, and has been a columnist for the weekly magazine Proceso and the newspaper Excélsior, two of the most important printed media in Mexico.

President Felipe Calderón recently appointed Dr. Fernández Coordinator of the 2030 Program, a team of experts formed to advise the President on what Mexican democracy and foreign policy should be in the year 2030. Dr. Fernández is also Chairman of the Advisory
Board for Mexico’s National Migration Institute.

While at Harvard, Professor Fernández taught a course in the Government Department titled: “U.S.-Mexican Relations”, Government 2895 and Government 90, for graduate and undergraduate students respectively.

Spring 2006

Julio Collado‐Vides

Fall 2005

Alejandro Poiré Romero

Fall 2000

Enrique Dussel

Carlos Muñoz-Izquierdo

Rodolfo Stavenhagen

Fall 1987

Carlos Fuentes