Mila Burns

Professor Mila Burns is a faculty member in the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies, specializing in the History of Latin America and the Caribbean, Authoritarianism, Gender Studies, and Journalism. Her research focuses on transnational political dynamics, particularly the influence of Brazilian diplomacy on the 1973 Chilean coup, and the intersection of music, gender, and activism during Brazil's dictatorship. She is currently completing a book analyzing recently declassified documents on Brazil's role in Chilean political shifts.

Her interdisciplinary work bridges media, anthropology, and history. Burns has authored multiple books, including Dona Ivone Lara's Sorriso Negro, which explores the cultural and political significance of a samba composer's work during Brazil's transition from dictatorship. She also serves as anchor and editor-in-chief of America News, a TV Globo International program targeting the Latino community.

Her recent publications analyze Brazilian diplomatic strategies during the Cold War, the role of media narratives in historical memory, and gendered resistance in music. Burns' research emphasizes transnational connections between authoritarian regimes and the cultural dimensions of political change.