Lisa Covert

Lisa Covert is Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of History at the College of Charleston, where she also serves as affiliate faculty in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Urban Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies programs. An accomplished historian specializing in Latin American history, Dr. Covert has established herself as a leading scholar with significant publications and research funding.

Dr. Covert earned her Ph.D. from Yale University in 2010, following an M.Phil. and M.A. in History from Yale (2006), and a B.A. in History from California State University, Long Beach (2003). Her educational background provided the foundation for her research in Latin American history, particularly focusing on Mexico and Peru.

Dr. Covert's research focuses on Latin American History, Mexican History, U.S.-Latin American relations, Cold War history, Tourism, Urban History, Economic Development, Cultural Heritage, and Disasters. Her work examines how historical processes shape contemporary issues, particularly in tourism development, urban transformation, and cultural heritage preservation. She explores intersections of economic development strategies and national identity formation, revealing insights into how towns and cities have grappled with change in the twentieth century. Her current projects include examining conflicting visions for rebuilding Cusco, Peru after the 1950 earthquake and reimagining Charleston's history from the 'people's' perspective.

Dr. Covert has received numerous prestigious awards including the Rockefeller Archive Center Research Grant (2022), Fulbright Global Scholar Research Award for work in Peru and France (2019), and multiple College of Charleston Faculty Research Grants (2013-2018, 2025). She has also been honored with Yale University dissertation fellowships and society-specific awards from the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations.

As an active member of the academic community, Dr. Covert currently serves as President of the Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies. Her teaching portfolio includes courses on Latin America since Independence, The Modern City, Revolutionary Lives, Latin American History through Film, Transnational Histories of the Americas, and Tourism and Cultural Heritage in Latin America. She maintains an active research profile with publications spanning historical journals and interdisciplinary outlets.