CURRICULUM VITAE

 

Ella Schmidt

 

Interdisciplinary Social Studies

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg

140 Seventh Ave. South DAV 258

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5016

 

eschmidt@stpt.usf.edu

 

 

ACADEMIC TRAINING

 

            University of California, Davis, Davis, California

            Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology

            Dissertation:  Dreams from the Fields:  Farmworker Lives, Cultural Reckoning, and

American Realities.

 

Université de Paris VII – Jussieu,  Paris, France

Masters in Cultural Anthropology

 

Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Perú

B.A. in Cultural Anthropology

 

 

SPECIAL TRAINING

 

            Medical Spanish Instructor – Intensive Training Program offered by the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program/USF College of Medicine in collaboration with the Padovan Language Institute of Miami, Florida – June 1996.

 

 

LANGUAGES

 

            Spanish, French, English and some German.

 

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

I have designed and taught the following courses:

            Mexico and Central America (Anthropology Course), 2005, 2007

            Anthropological Linguistics, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, 2004, 2006

            Ethnic Diversity in the U.S. (Anthropology/Exit Course), University of South Florida,

                        St. Petersburg, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007

            Gender in Cross Cultural Perspectives (Anthropology/Exit Course), University of South

                        Florida, St. Petersburg, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006

            Women and Development in Latin America (Interdisciplinary Social Studies),

                        University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, 2002, 2003

Senior Seminar in the Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (Interdisciplinary Social

Studies-Capstone Seminar), University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, 2002,

2003, 2004, 2005, 2006

Social Perspectives I and II – (Learning Communities) University of South Florida,

                        1998, 1999, 2000, 2001.

            Non-Western Perspectives – (Learning Communities) University of South Florida,

                        1999, 2001

Class and Ethnicity in the Americas (Interdisciplinary Social Studies), University of

                        South Florida 1999, 2000-01, 2001-02 (Exit course)

            The Social Construction of Knowledge and Reality: a Conversation (Interdisciplinary

                        Social Studies), University of South Florida 1999, 2000, 2001 (Intro.course)

Language and Culture (Anthropology Dept.), University of South Florida, (Upper Div.

                        Course), 1998, 2005

            Mexico and Central America (Anthropology Dept.), University of South Florida,

                        1998 (took over course for instructor who went on family leave)

            Graduate Seminar in Linguistic Anthropology (Anthropology Dept.), University

                        of South Florida, 1994-95

            Graduate Teaching Assistant for “Introduction to Anthropology” and “Gender and

Sexuality” courses, University of California, Davis, 1990,1991,1992.

 

 

OTHER TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

Medical Spanish (Area Health Education Centers), University of South Florida, 1997, 2001, 2003

 

 

JOB EXPERIENCE

 

August 2003 to date – Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Social Studies, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.

 

February 2004 to May 2005 – Consultant, OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, Philadelphia/Marguerite Casey Foundation, Seattle:  “Learning Community Clusters.”

 

August 2002 to May 2003 – Visiting Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Social Studies, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.

 

July 1998 to May 2002 – Visiting Instructor, Interdisciplinary Social Studies/Learning Communities, University of South Florida.

 

September 1996 to June 1998 – Grant Coordinator, International Affairs Center, University of South Florida (part-time position).

 

April 1995 to December 2000 – Volunteer coordinator for the Women’s Resource Center, and the English programs trying to identify “themes” (i.e. immigration, health, schooling) that should be covered in English classes that could also serve as “consciousness raisers” or empowering tools for the farmworkers—especially women—to better their quality of life.  I was also involved in an advocacy program, funded by the Juvenile Justice Council, for school-age children that provided a much needed supporting voice for students who are experiencing problems with school officials and the juvenile justice system.  Farmworkers Self-Help, Inc. Dade City, Fla.

 

April 3-5, 1996 – Independent evaluator for “For Us There are no Frontiers.  Global Approaches to the Study of Italian Migration and the Making of Multi-Ethnic Societies-1800 to the Present” an international conference organized by USF History Department and partly funded by the Florida Humanities Council.

 

May 1994 to May 1995 –  Consultant for a coalition organized by the Bay Area legal Services in Tampa against domestic violence among Hispanic farmworkers in the area of Ruskin-Wimauma.  This coalition included representatives of local community health centers, local domestic violence shelters, Beth-El Farmworker Ministry and the Spring.  I was responsible for bringing into the discussions the particular constraints Hispanic women face when confronted with domestic violence issues and the ways these women could be empowered by learning a skill, being informed about their rights, and being made aware of the services available to them.

 

April 8-16, 1994 – Independent evaluator for the Archives Awareness Week in Tampa funded by the Florida Humanities Council.

 

July – August 1994 – Volunteer/consultant on anthropological issues regarding how to better serve and reach poor rural Andean children and how to promote the cultural interaction of urban and rural children in a museum context-Children’s Museum., Sucre-Bolivia

 

June – September 1989 – Research Assistant, UC Davis.  Ethnobotanical fieldwork with peasant producers of native varieties of potatoes in the Cuzco region (southern Perú) with special emphasis on peasant women and their strategies for marketing their produce.  Two of the main purposes of the research were to assess the phenotypical principles of the folk classifications of native varieties of potatoes and to determine how widespread this knowledge was among potato vendors in the market of Cuzco.

 

June – August 1987 – Research Assistant, UC Davis.  Fieldwork on ethnoagricultural strategies of ejido members in the region of Chiapas (México). Our main goals were to identify the different ecological constraints their land posed to them and the strategies farmers used to cope (i.e. different fertilization strategies, different corn varieties for different types of soils, different planting dates) with these constraints.

 

June – July 1985 – Program Evaluator for the International Development Research Center (IDRC) of Canada on a project funded by them on generation, transfer, and adoption of diffused light technology for storing seed potato tubers in the valleys of Mantaro and Tulumayo in the Central Andes of Perú.

 

November 1984 to July 1986 – Assistant Anthropologist-International Potato Center (CIP) Lima, Perú.  Worked with peasant potato growers in the regions of Cuzco (southern Perú), Huaylas-Conchucos and Mantaro Valleys (central Perú), and Cajamarca (northern Perú).  Research focused on ethnoagricultural practices and cultural ideas of taste, color, consistency, etc. and the “social roles” of potato consumption among these Andean growers.  My research was especially designed to incorporate women’s issues on, and knowledge of, Andean agricultural systems, their symbolic association to the earth and fertility, their decision making power, and their role as gatekeepers and marketers of produce (a female activity).

 

FELLOWSHIPS

 

W.K. Kellogg Foundation – Graduate Studies

Inter-American Foundation -     “             “

 

 

AWARDS

 

USF – Saint Petersburg – New Investigator Research Grant – Summer 2004 ($3,600.00)

Straddling the Tracks: Mexican Migrants and Diverging

Realities.  Summer research grant to do comparative work

between farmworker rural communities in Pasco Co., Florida

and urban Mexican migrants in Clearwater, Florida.

USF Globalization Research Center (GRC) – January 2002 ($28,892.00)  Seed grant to fund

preliminary research on the connections between economic integration and civic participation of transnational communities and the effects these connections have on the host communities and the communities of origin.  The project entitled Building

Transnational Community Linkages: The Hidalgo-Clearwater Connection focused on the communities of Mexican immigrants in the Clearwater area and their communities of origin in Mexico. Proposal submitted jointly with María Crummett – University of Tampa. 

University of South Florida – University Community Initiative/Instructional Grant  - 2000-2001

                                                ($5,000.00). Course Title: Rural Realities: Florida’s

Farmworkers.  Upper division course with strong service component with local farmworker communities.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP/SERVICE

 

Society of Applied Anthropology: Fellow

            Latin American Studies Association

 

            Journal Globalizations-International Editorial Board Member

           

 

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

Schmidt, Ella.  “Whose Culture?  Globalism, Localism, and the Expansion of Tradition; the Case

            of the Hñähñu of Hidalgo, Mexico and Clearwater, Florida.”  Special Issue of

            Globalizations “Cultures of Globalization:  Coherence, Hybridity, and Contestation” 

            4(1)2007: 101-114.  “

Archer, K, M. Bosman, M. Amen & E. Schmidt.  “Locating Globalizations and Cultures.” 

            Special Issue of Globalizations “Cultures of Globalization: 

            Coherence, Hybridity, and Contestation.” 4(1)2007: 1-14.

Archer, K., M. Bosman, M. Amen and E. Schmidt.  “Hegemony-Counter-Hegemony:  Imagining

            a New, Post-Nation-State Cartography of Culture in an Age of Globalization.” Special

            Issue of Globalizations “Cultures of Globalization:  Coherence, Hybridity, and

            Contestation.” 4(1)2007:  115-135.

Schmidt, Ella.  “Sustainable Community for Sustainable Development:  A Case Study of the

            Mujeres Reunidas Cooperative in Hidalgo, Mexico.”  Journal of Developing Societies

            22(4)2006: 379-400.

Schmidt, Ella.  “Sustainable Community for Sustainable Development: “Mujeres Reunidas”and

the Hñähñu of Hidalgo, Mexico.”  In Poverty and Environmental Sustainability:

Global Perspectives.  Tampa:  Patel Center for Global Solutions. 2006

Archer, K.,M. Bosman, M. Amen & E. Schmidt, eds.  Cultures of Globalization.  Coherence,

            Hybridity, Contestation.  Routledge. Forthcoming (March 2008).

Stavig, Ward & Ella Schmidt.  The Tupac Amaru and Catarista Rebellions:  An Anthology of

Sources.  Edited and translated by Ward Stavig and Ella Schmidt with an introduction by Charles Walker. Mass.: Hackett Publishing Co.  Forthcoming (March 2008).

Schmidt, Ella.  “Ciudadanía hñähñu: lecciones comunitarias en un mundo individualista; notas

preliminares.”  Proceedings.  Estudios de Cultura Otopame, Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas-Universidad Autónoma de México. Forthcoming

Baez Cubero, L., Crummett, Maria, Fierro Alonso, U. J.,  Garret Rios, M.G., Moreno Alcántara,

            B. and Schmidt, Ella.  “De mi parcela al ancho mundo.”  Efectos de la movilidad en

            Hidalgo, México y Clearwater, Florida, Estados Unidos.  IN La migración indígena. 

            Causas y efectos en la cultura, en la economía y en la población.  Etnografia de los

            Pueblos Indígenas de Mexico Series.  Comisión Nacional de Antropología e Historia-

            Instituto de Antropología e Historia.  México, D.F. Forthcoming

Schmidt, Ella & María Crummett.  “Herencias recreadas: capital social y cultural entre los

hñahñu en Florida e Hidalgo.”  In Jonathan Fox & Gaspar Rivera Salgado, eds .

Migrantes Indígenas Mexicanos en los Estados Unidos.  América Latina y el Nuevo

Orden Mundial  Series.  Mexico:  Miguel Angel Porrúa y Universidad Autonónoma de

Zacatecas. 2004

Schmidt, Ella & María Crummett.  “Heritage Recreated:  Hidalguenses in the U.S. and Mexico,”

In Jonathan Fox & Gaspar Rivera Salgado, eds. Indigenous Mexican

Migrants in the United States.  Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies & Center for

Comparative Immigration Studies.  San Diego:  Univ. of California. 2004

Schmidt, Ella.   “Schools and the Failure of the American Dream,”  Punto Final.  The Hispanic

Outlook for Higher Education.  November 2000.

Orlove, Benjamin & Ella Schmidt.  “Swallowing their pride:  indigenous and industrial beer in

            Peru and Bolivia,”  Theory and Society 24(1995):271-298

Quiros, C.F., R. Ortega, L.van Raamsdonk, M. Herrera-Montoya, P. Cisneros, E.Schmidt & S.

            Brush.  “Increase of potato genetic resources in their center of diversity:  the role of

            natural outcrossing and selection by the Andean farmer,” Genetic Resources and Crop

            Evaluation 39(1992):107-113.

Schmidt, Ella.  “Estrategias Tradicionales de Almacenamiento de Papa Autoconsumo en el Dpto.

            del Cusco.”  Documento de Trabajo 1989-2. Lima:  Dept. de Ciencias Sociales, Centro

            Internacional de la Papa.

Brush, S. M. Bellon & E. Schmidt.  “Agricultural Development and Maize Diversity in

            Mexico,”  Human Ecology 16(1988):307-328.

Schmidt, Ella, O. Cuyubamba, R. Rhoades, & R. Booth.  A case study of the generation, transfer

            and adoption of the diffused light technology for storing seed potato tubers in Peru.  Part

            II in Developing an appropriate technology for small farmers in Third World countries.

 Lima: Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP).  1985.

Rhoades,, R., R. Booth, E. Schmidt.  An illustration of CIP’s approach to the generation and

            transfer of post-harvest technologies.  Part I in Developing an appropriate technology for

            small farmers in Third World countries.  Lima: Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP).

            1985.

Bidegaray, Pedro & E. Schmidt.  “Selección y adopción de variedades de papa en Cusco,”  Sur.

            Boletín Informativo Agrario VII(1985):17-22.  Cusco, Perú.

 

           

PAPERS PRESENTED

 

“Ritos de la vida cívica.  Espacio y cultura en la construcción de una ciudadanía local.”  IX

            Coloquio Internacional sobre Otopames 2007.  Xalapa, Veracruz. November 12-16,

            2007.

 

“Whose Culture?  Globalism, Localism, and the Expansion of Tradition; the Case of the Hñähñu

            of Hidalgo, Mexico and Clearwater, Florida.”  Dialogic Conference Globalization, Cities,

            and the Production of Culture.  University of South Florida, Tampa, April 5-7th, 2006

“Transnational Householding: the Hñähñu of Hidalgo, Mexico and Clearwater, Florida,”  Paper

            read at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology, Vancouver,

            March 28-April 2nd, 2006.

“Rituals of Daily Life: Space and Culture in the Construction of Local Citizenship.”  Dialogic

Conference Globalization and Civic Space: Cities, Community Life and the Public

Sphere.  University of Hawaii-Globalization Research Center, Hawaii, August 15-17th,

2005.

“Transnacionalismo y Migración: el caso de los Hñähñu del Valle del Mezquital en

            Clearwater, Florida.”  Invited paper with María Crummett. Seminario sobre

            Migración Indígena-Problemas Teórico-Metodológicos y Estudios de Caso.

            Comisión  Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas/Universidad

            Autónoma de México (UNAM)/Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, México

                City.  April 21st-22nd, 2005.

“Sustainable Community for Sustainable Development: “Mujeres Reunidas” and the Hñähñu of

                Hidalgo, México.”  Invited paper.  Symposia on Globalization and Sustainable

Development. USF Globalization Research Center, Tampa, Florida.  April 7th, 2005.

“Ciudadanía hñähñu: lecciones comunitarias en un mundo individualista; notas preliminares.”

Invited Key Note Paper.  VI Coloquio Internacional Sobre Otopames-Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas/Universidad Autónoma de México (UNAM). México City, November 8-12, 2004.

“Heritage Recreated: Cultural and Social entrepreneurship among the Hñähñu in the U.S. and

            Mexico” with María Crummett.  Latin American Studies Association (LASA) XXV

            International Congress, Las Vegas, October 7-9, 2004.

“Herencias Recreadas: Capital Social y Cultural entre los Hñahñu en Florida e Hidalgo,” with

Maria Crummett.  Seminario sobre Migración Indígena.  Coordinación Nacional de

Antropología-Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia.  México City, August 27th,

2004.

“Heritage Recreated:  the Hidalgo-Clearwater Connection,” 34th Annual Meeting of the Urban

Affairs Association, Washington D.C., March 31-April 3, 2004.

“Herencias Recreadas: Hidalguenses en los Estados Unidos y México,” with María Crummett. 

First International Colloquium on Migration and Development: “Transnationalism and

New Perspectives for Integration.”  Zacatecas, México, October 23-25, 2003.

“Spheres of Influence and Area Studies: The Hidalgo-Clearwater Connection.”  With María

Crummett.  XXIV International Congress-LASA, Dallas, March 27-29th, 2003

“Building Transnational Communities:  The Hidalgo-Clearwater Connection.” With María

            Crummett.  16th Annual Research Conference:  Expanding the Research Base-USF

            Department of Child and Family Studies (FMHI), March 2-5, 2003.

“Global Citizens and American Spaces: the Hidalgo-Clearwater Story.” 

101st Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, New Orleans, November 20-24, 2002.

“Appropriating the National Discourse: Mexican Farmworkers and Readings of Citizenship.”

            National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies, Houston, February 12-17, 2001.

“Consumption Dynamics among Mexican Farmworkers in Central Florida: Mexican

            Farmworkers and the Dream of Belonging,”  Social Science History Association

            Conference, Pittsburgh, October 26-29, 2000.

“No me importa:  Schools and the Failure of the American Dream,”  Hispanic Professional

            Women Association Luncheon, Tampa, May 5th, 1999.

“Domestic Violence and Latino Culture:  How to Help Latino Women in a Culturally

            Meaningful Way.”  Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence Annual Conference

            St. Petersburg, Florida, May 5-6, 1994.

“Cultural Perspectives on Women and Development:  the Case of the Southern Andes of Peru,”

            Women in Agriculture Conference, Univ. of California, Davis, January 29th, 1990.

“Introducing Anthropology into Regional and National Programs:  the Case of Peru,”  Social

            Sciences Planning Conference-Session V.  International Potato Center, Lima, Peru.

            September 1987.