Erik Ching

Erik Ching is the Walter Kenneth Mattison Professor of History at Furman University and serves as Interim Associate Provost for Engaged Learning and Director of Undergraduate Research. He specializes in modern Latin American history, particularly El Salvador, with a focus on civil war memory, education reform during the Cold War, and political authoritarianism. His research has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the 2017 Choice Outstanding Academic Title and the 2013 Alfred B. Thomas Book Award. Ching co-founded the El Salvador Studies Working Group, a global network of over 180 scholars.

• Education:
• Ph.D. in History, University of California, Santa Barbara (focus: modern Latin America)
• M.A. in History, University of California, Santa Barbara
• B.A. in History, Pacific Lutheran University

His research interests span El Salvador’s historical memory of the civil war, Cold War-era education reforms, and transnational revolutionary movements. He has authored/co-authored books such as Stories of Civil War in El Salvador (2016) and Modernizing Minds in El Salvador (2012). His work often intersects with global history, film analysis, and political conflict studies.

Ching’s publications reflect interdisciplinary approaches, blending historical analysis with cultural studies and media critique. His articles explore topics like guerrilla radio tactics during the civil war and El Salvador’s connections to global revolutionary movements. Awards include the 1999 Conference on Latin American History Prize and the 1998 Hubert Herring Prize for his doctoral dissertation.

• Grants & Leadership:
• Fulbright Teaching/Research Grant (El Salvador, 2005)
• Herman N. Hipp endowed chair (2003–2006)

He teaches Latin American and African history courses and leads study abroad programs in Mexico, Central America, and southern Africa. Ching also advises Furman’s undergraduate research initiatives, fostering student engagement in interdisciplinary scholarship.