Ruben Oliven Appointed DRCLAS Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professor for 2026–2027
The David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS) is pleased to announce that distinguished Brazilian anthropologist Ruben Oliven will join Harvard University as the DRCLAS Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professor during the 2026–2027 academic year, co-hosted by the Department of Anthropology.
A leading scholar of Brazilian culture, identity, and society, Oliven is Professor of Anthropology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and Vice-President of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. Throughout a distinguished academic career spanning several decades, he has examined the ways local traditions, popular culture, urbanization, and transnational influences have shaped modern Brazil.
During his year at Harvard, Oliven will teach two courses at the Department of Anthropology, The Making of Modern Brazil: A Transnational Perspective and Brazilian Culture and National Identity, bringing his extensive expertise to students across the University.
“We are delighted to have Prof. Ruben Oliven join us in the Department of Anthropology during the 2026–2027 academic year,” said Rowan Flad, John E. Hudson Professor of Archaeology and Chair of Harvard's Department of Anthropology. “He will offer courses that will be of tremendous benefit to our students. His work on traditional local culture and on popular culture in the Brazilian context illuminates the emergence of Brazilian national consciousness, while also examining cross-national influences, including those coming from the United States. His arrival will address a significant gap in our current departmental offerings about modern Latin America, and we are excited to welcome him into our community.”
“Ruben Oliven's scholarship demonstrates that culture is not peripheral to political life, but rather is often at its very center,” said Steven Levitsky, Faculty Director of DRCLAS. “His work has helped generations of scholars better understand Brazil's extraordinary diversity and the processes through which national identities are constructed. His appointment will be a tremendous asset to Harvard.”
Oliven earned his PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science and has held visiting appointments at institutions including the University of California, Berkeley; Dartmouth College; Brown University; Emory University; the University of Illinois; the University of Paris; and Leiden University. He was also a Fulbright Fellow.
His scholarship has made significant contributions to the study of nationalism, regional identity, music, popular culture, and the social meanings of money in Brazil. He is the author of nine books and numerous scholarly articles. His book Tradition Matters: Modern Gaúcho Identity in Brazil, published by Columbia University Press, received the Best Book of the Year Award from the Brazilian Association for Research and Graduate Studies in Social Sciences (ANPOCS). His newest book, Samba, Blues and Jazz: Love, Money and Race in Brazilian and American Music, was published by Routledge earlier this month.
In addition to his scholarly achievements, Oliven has held important leadership positions within the social sciences, serving as president of both the Brazilian Anthropological Association and the Brazilian Association for Graduate Studies and Research in Social Sciences. His many honors include the Erico Vannucci Mendes Prize for Distinguished Contribution to the Study of Brazilian Culture, the ANPOCS Prize for Academic Excellence in Anthropology, and the Grand Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit, Brazil's highest scientific distinction.
The Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professorship brings distinguished scholars and practitioners from Latin America to Harvard, fostering intellectual exchange and enriching the University's teaching and research community. Oliven's appointment continues that tradition while expanding opportunities for students to engage deeply with the history, culture, and contemporary realities of Brazil.