She/her/hers
Social Sciences Division
Professor Emerita
Faculty
American Studies Department
Latin American & Latino Studies
Dolores Huerta Research Center for the Americas
Social Sciences 1
406
by appointment
Social Sciences 1 Faculty Services
Ph.D. Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin
M.A. Latin American Studies, University of Texas, Austin
B.A. History, Latin American Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz
As an anthropologist specializing in folklore, Olga Nájera-Ramírez has concentrated on documenting and critically examining expressive culture among Mexicans in both Mexico and the United States. She has conducted fieldwork in Texas, California, and Jalisco, Mexico, and has a special interest in dance and festival. With a focus on issues of identity formation, relationships of power, and expressive cultural forms, her work contributes to the interdisciplinary, transnational studies of culture.
She wrote, directed, and produced two bilingual documentaries. The most recent is Danza Folklórica Escénica:El Sello Artístico de Rafael Zamarripa (Mexican Folkloric Dance: Rafael Zamarripa’s Artistic Trademark), which tells the story of this vibrant art form through the life and work of the internationally acclaimed artist and choreographer, Rafael Zamarripa. For more information, please see www.olganajera.com or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Danza-Folkorica-Escenica-Olga-N%C3%A1jera-Ramirez/280612485293516.
La Charreada: Rodeo a la Mexicana is a half-hour bilingual ethnographic documentary video produced in collaboration with KTEH, San Jose Public Television Station. Winner of the prestigious Silver Apple Award at the National Educational Film and Video Festival in 1997, this video provides an intimate view of the charreada (or Mexican rodeo) as described by Mexicanos living on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Prof. Nájera-Ramírez teaches courses on folklore theory, expressive culture, dance, cultural performances, and Greater Mexico. Other interests include studies in popular culture, media, social history, gender, education, Latin America, and underrepresented groups in the United States. She also serves as the faculty advisor for the campus Mexican folkdance company, Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas.
