What have you been up to since the program?

 

I took part of the professors' program in 2014. Upon my return to Argentina, I resumed my teaching and research at my home university. But now my understanding of the main trends of American political thought was deeper and much better informed. All the seminars I took during the program were absolutely relevant to broaden my perspective on American politics, society and culture. So, I decided to go back to the UMass and so I did thanks to a Fulbright grant in 2017. I stayed in Amherst for three months, doing research on American egalitarianism. Of course, I was in touch with the Civic Initiative during that time and it was my privilege to be invited to give a presentation on my research to the participants of the international professors program.

 

What was the most influential experience you had while in the U.S. with the Civic Initiative?

 

Though it is hard to single out the most influential experience, I can say the most rewarding experience flows from a combination of three elements of the program: the first-class academic activities, the atmosphere of international friendship that builds up among the participants, and the many opportunities to get engaged with American people, culture and places. The whole program is so well designed and managed by fantastic people that there is not one day like the other, and every minute offers an opportunity for learning and enjoying.

 

If you could spend another day in Amherst, how would you spend it?

 

I would take an early stroll into town to enjoy the quiet beauty of Pleasant Street. Then I would spend some hours at the fabulous W.E.B. Du Bois Library on campus, where one can find endless resources for all types of research. I would certainly have lunch or dinner in one of the commons or other facilities, since campus food is absolutely great. And in the evening, I would choose among several cultural activities, ranging from jazz festivals and gigs, to the cool Amherst Cinema where they mostly show arthouse movies, or I would just chill out in some of the many friendly pubs in town. And if I had one extra day, I would surely go to Lenox, in the Berkshires, to watch a Shakespeare play.

 

What is one piece of advice you would give to a person chosen to participate in this program?

 

My first advice would be to leave aside any prejudices and fears, and be sure that the Civic Initiative, the UMass and the town of Amherst have many interesting and one-of-a-kind experiences to offer. Participants should know that each minute counts and that there are unique opportunities for learning, making new friends and acquiring personal experiences that will certainly have a major impact on everyone's careers and future endeavors.

 

What is next on your To Do List?

 

As of the very near future, I expect to complete and publish a couple of articles resulting from the research I did last year on American egalitarianism and utopianism, particularly on the works of a great Massachusetts writer named Edward Bellamy. In the meantime, I will keep on teaching and doing research at my university. I teach Political Theory and some key American thinkers are included in my syllabus. My participation in the professors program of the Civic Initiative was decisive to improve my teaching and research, so I plan to carry on this path, taking advantage, also, of the resources available from the website of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.