RESEARCH PROJECTS, 2002-2005
The following is a list of researchers and research projects sponsored by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute during the period 2002-2005:
History
Luis Alvarez-Lopez, Ph.D. (6/2005-8/2006)
Assistant Professor, John Jay College
Dr. Alvarez-Lopez has two ongoing research projects related to the CUNY DSI Dominican Archives: An assessment of the historical value of some of the papers and documents donated by community activists to the Dominican Archives; and, research on the legacy and the documentation left behind by Dominican political activists who lived in exile in the United States during 1932-1959, the years of the Trujillo dictatorship.
Education
Mirtha Crisostomo, Ph.D. (Fall 2004-Fall 2005)
Chair, Department of Management and Business at Emmanuel College
Dr. Crisostomo conducted research at CUNY DSI on the issue of limited English proficiency among Dominican students in New York City and their placement and management in public institutions of higher learning.
Spanish Literature
Franklin Gutiérrez, Ph.D. (Fall 2003 to Fall 2004)
Professor of Spanish, York College
Professor Gutiérrez’s “A Selected Bibliography of Literary Texts by Dominican American Writers” is a pioneering piece in the area of Dominican Studies. It is perhaps one of the bibliographical references most frequently consulted by students and scholars doing research on Dominican literature in the United States.
Sociology
Glenn Jacobs, Ph.D. (Fall 2003 to Fall 2004)
Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts-Boston
Professor Jacobs’ research focused on Dominicans and transnationalism and compares the experiences of two pioneering Dominican families, one residing in Boston and the other in New York City.
Media and Communication Arts
Harold Martínez, B.A. (Fall 2005 to present)
Senior Editor, American Latino and Latination
Mr. Martínez is currently concluding the production of a documentary on the history of rock music in the Dominican Republic. The documentary traces U.S. cultural influence on the development of rock music in the Dominican Republic and the transformation of Dominican rock in the search for authenticity and originality. Mr. Martínez has already showcased some footage of his documentary and has already received media attention from the New York Spanish media. Mr. Martínez is a graduate of the Film School of The City College of New York.
Higher Education Administration
Nelson A. Reynoso, Ph.D. (Summer 2003)
Assistant Professor, Bronx Community College
During his tenure at the CUNY DSI, Dr. Reynoso worked on an ethnographic research project focusing on Dominican students attending community colleges in the United States. Dr. Reynoso’s work continues to be the only research piece documenting the experiences of students of Dominican ancestry enrolled in community colleges.
Sociology
Milagros Ricourt, Ph.D. (Fall 2005-Fall 2006)
Associate Professor at Lehman College
Dr. Ricourt is working on a pioneering research project, an oral history documenting the experiences of older Dominican women who have made important contributions to the New York Dominican community.
Economics
Dr. Francisco Rivera-Batiz, Ph.D. (Fall 2002 to Present)
Professor, Columbia University
Dr. Rivera-Batiz, along with Dr. Ramona Hernández, is in charge of producing all statistical analysis concerning the socioeconomic status of the Dominican people in the United States, particularly in New York City. The focus of their research is the production of the "Socioeconomic Profile of Dominicans in New York City and the United States," a statistical study based on various institutional data. The study is published on a periodic basis in the CUNY DSI’s Research Monograph Series.
Political Science
Charles R. Venator, Ph.D. (Fall 2003 to Fall 2004)
Assistant Professor in the Department of Politics, Ithaca College
Professor Venator’s research focuses on Dominicans who have been deported to the Dominican Republic. His is a pioneering research disentangling the complexity surrounding the politics of the two societies involved in the issue of deportation.
