Mexico City, July 10, 2022 - A close friend of Carlos Monsiváis , whom David Maciel invited each year to give lectures at universities along our border with the United States , David is the author , among other books, of El México de afuera: Historia del pueblo chicano . A doctor in History from the University of California, Maciel holds a master's degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Arizona and a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from California State University, San Diego. He received the Fulbright-García Robles scholarship as a distinguished professor at UNAM in the 2013-14 academic year. He is currently professor emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Throughout his years in academia, he has been contested by three major cultural institutions: the University of New Mexico, the University of Arizona, and the Colegio de la Frontera Norte.
When Carlos Monsiváis was still alive, David Maciel came to visit him every year. Now he visits me as if nothing were his problem, and during his months of research in Mexico, he comes to give courses and lectures in Mexico City.
A specialist in the Chicano world, he is the author of several books on a central theme in his life: The Mexican on the Other Side. His titles include The Bandit, the Pocho, and Race: Cinematic Images of the Chicano , Mexico's Cinema: A Century of Films and Filmmakers , Mexican Cinema Through Criticism , The Chicano Renaissance: Contemporary Cultural Trends , and Culture Across Borders . His long list of books revolves around Mexican immigration to the United States and popular culture.
“First and foremost, my book responds to personal and professional concerns I've had for decades during my visits to Mexico. I've been deeply concerned about the lack of coverage and analysis of the Mexican population in the United States. So I took on the challenge of writing this groundbreaking book, a historical narrative from the colonial period to the beginning of the Biden administration.
“As the son of Mexican parents, born and raised in the United States all my life, I have fully lived the Chicano experience. For this reason, writing means sharing an essential part of my personal odyssey. Furthermore, as I have been an activist in countless civic and cultural initiatives, I consider myself a participant observer in this story. At the same time, as a university professor for more than four decades, the study of topics related to my community (especially in the fields of history and culture) has been an essential part of my professional work and my most abiding passion. It is clear to me that the exhaustive research and writing of this book is, to a large extent, a culmination of my life as a teacher and researcher.”
