Debra Law

Debra Law is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Department of History at Texas State University. She holds a PhD from The Johns Hopkins University, alongside an MA from both Johns Hopkins and Texas State University, and a BA from Texas State University. Her research focuses on the impact of Brazil's political dictatorship on national memory and civic commemoration, with specialization in Latin American and Atlantic History. She examines Brazil's constitutional monarchy legacy through the lens of its first leader, Pedro I, analyzing how public memory and monuments reflect evolving national narratives.

Dr. Law's academic path began unexpectedly with a World History course at Texas State, leading her to specialize in Latin American studies. Her doctoral research in Rio de Janeiro explored how Brazilian intellectuals reinterpreted national identity through public monuments. At Texas State since 2014, she bridges secondary education experience with university-level historical analysis, emphasizing connections between past and present.