Southwest Center, University of Arizona

05/27/2026

Don't miss Dr. Ilahiane's fascinating course this Fall! More connections, deeper roots than you ever imagined. No orientalism, just science!
UArizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences School of Global Studies

This course explores the legacies and influences of Islamic (also known as Moorish) Spain in the American Southwest from the sixteenth century to the twenty ...

05/21/2026

Thanks so much, Carlos, for your contributions to transborder studies, anthropology, and so many disciplines. And, of course, for being such a good friend of the Southwest Center. We can still do things together, right?
ASU School of Transborder Studies UArizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences School of Global Studies

If the conditions of one’s birth are any indication of destiny, Carlos Vélez-Ibáñez’s life’s work can be traced back to his birthplace of Nogales, a Southwestern town split by the U.S.-Mexico border, with part in the American state of Arizona and part in the Mexican state of Sonora.

05/18/2026

Congratulations to University of Arizona Indigenous Resilience Center on a new grant from Waverley Street Foundation!!

https://air.arizona.edu/news/air-indigenous-resilience-center-awarded-grant-expand-regenerative-agriculture-research-and

05/14/2026

We are thrilled to share that two of our own have been recognized by the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences with prestigious Faculty Awards! 🎉
Robin Rerike, Associate Research Social Scientist at the Southwest Center, has been honored with the Borderlands Service Award, recognizing the outstanding contributions through her work on forensic anthropological practice to address unidentified human remains and missing persons in the borderlands
Our director, Jennifer Jenkins, has received the Borderlands Research Award, a testament to her sustained scholarly commitment to the peoples, cultures, and landscapes of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.
These awards reflect the heart of what we do at the SWC: rigorous research in deep service to the place we live in. Congratulations to Robin and Jennifer. We couldn't be prouder! 🌵
UArizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences School of Global Studies

04/28/2026

Friend of the Southwest Center, Dr. Gabriella Soto talks about her book in this excellent interview with the Border Chronicle. Pick up the book, "Afterlives" from The University of Arizona Press today! Dr. Soto on border deaths: "An accident is a death without any clear intent to cause harm. And we know from border policy, from when prevention through deterrence was first articulated—it was written into a 1994 strategy document—that the goal was to increase the cost of migrating to deter people’s entry. And that “cost” seemed to be a euphemism for mortal risk."

“For a long time, a big proportion of the American public said that border security was their most important issue. People are starting to realize what that means in terms of the violence entailed.”

04/23/2026

We're participating in tonight's talk, a partnership with University of Arizona - Mexican American Studies and Southwest Center, University of Arizona!

Acclaimed Chicano musician and community activist, Quetzal Flores, of the band, Quetzal, will discuss engaging community through arts and culture with Tucson artists and organizers. Please come for what promises to be an exciting discussion between Flores and Nelda Ruiz of Southwest Folklife Alliance, Alisha Vasquez of the Mexican American Heritage and History Museum, and Marc David Pinate of Borderlands Theater.

Sosa-Carrillo House on Thursday April 23 at 6pm

04/21/2026

Únete a nosotros este miércoles 22 de abril a las 7pm para el estreno en Arizona de LA RESERVA, la fabulosa ópera prima de Pablo Pérez Lombardini—un impactante thriller ambiental presentado en el marco del Día de la Tierra.

https://foxtucson.com/event/ct-apr-2026/

04/20/2026

In case you missed it...

Did you know about the Field Guide to Metamorphic Core-Complex Geology, Catalina and Rincon Mountains, Tucson, Arizona??

If you’ve ever looked at the Catalina and Rincon Mountains around Tucson and wondered what stories those rocks hold, this guide is a great place to start.

Published by George H. Davis in the Journal of the Southwest, this field guide offers maps, illustrations, and explanations to help you understand the mountain's complex geology.

What makes it especially interesting is that it’s not just for geologists.
It’s designed so that non-geologists can also explore, observe, and understand the landscapes — from mountain flanks to rock structures — that shape this region.

Curious to see the desert from a new perspective?

🔎 Davis, G.H., 2026. Field Guide to Metamorphic Core-Complex Geology, Catalina and Rincon Mountains, Tucson, Arizona.
https://doi.org/10.1353/jsw.2025.a982416

04/15/2026

04/13/2026

Tom Sheridan is on the panel, so the rest should be interesting too. And meaningful. And rigorous.