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My name is Leo R. Chavez and I’m an anthropologist. My areas of expertise are transnational migration, media, and access to medical care. My son, Koji, said, “Dad, you really need a website!” and I said, “Ok, but how do I do that?” So he worked with me to develop this website. Turned out pretty good!

Organization

I’ve organized this website into a few sections. If you are interested in my writings, check out the writing section where I’ve put information on my books, articles, op-eds, and other smaller projects. Upcoming and past presentations are in a separate tab. I’ve also included a bit about my academic journey. I’ve been in this game for a while now, which means I’ve gotten a few awards. The pandemic will be over soon, hopefully, and I’m always open to giving talks- go to the contact page for more information.


My areas of interest.

Transnational Migration

As the video above explains, my research has focused on the movement of people across national borders, especially Latin American immigration to the United States.

What narratives about immigrations does this image evoke?

Media

I examine the meaning of visual representations used in the media, especially a visual lexicon to discuss immigration, membership in the nation, and issues of citizenship.

Responses to negative political rhetoric

Emotions and Rhetoric

More recently, I have examined the relationship between political rhetoric and emotions. This includes the psychological impact of rhetoric on those whom the rhetoric targets.