Enrique Dávila

Enrique Dávila is an Assistant Professor of History at Saint Louis University's College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on Mexican American, Latino, and Borderlands history, particularly reform movements in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is currently working on a book project about the Idar family of Laredo, Texas, which examines transnational reform networks in response to political and economic transformations in the region.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Chicago, 2021
• M.A., University of Chicago, 2011
• B.A., University of Texas at Austin, 2006

Research Interests: Dávila explores how border communities navigated dual national, linguistic, and cultural identities to advocate for equality and unity amid globalization. His work highlights the Idar family’s three-generation activism as a lens for understanding transnational resistance.

Publications: His co-authored article “Mapping the Strange Career of William Ellis” (2023) contributes to racial justice education frameworks.

Awards:

• Carlos E. Castañeda Postdoctoral Fellow (2021)
• UT Chicago Social Sciences Dissertation Fellowship (2020)
• University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies Symposium (2018)

Teaching & Service: Teaches courses on U.S. history, Latino histories, and global modernity. No grants or advising roles explicitly noted in the text.