John Chuchiak

Prof. Dr. John F. Chuchiak IV is a full professor and director of the Latin American, Caribbean and Hispanic Studies Program at Missouri State University. His research and professional interests focus on colonial Latin American history, with particular emphasis on Mexico and Maya ethnohistory, Franciscan missions, and the Inquisition in the New World.

• Affiliation: Missouri State University (Director of Latin American, Caribbean and Hispanic Studies Program)

His work explores the history of the colonial church in Mexico, Christian mission history, and the intersection of religion, ethnic conflict, gender, and social change within the broader Atlantic world. During winter semester 2013/2014, he delivered a lecture titled "Unlikely Allies: Mayas, Spaniards and Pirates in Colonial Yucatán, 1550-1750", analyzing how Maya militias became critical defense forces against European pirates in colonial Yucatán, securing social and economic advantages through military service.

• Research Highlights:
  • Maya resistance and adaptation in colonial systems
  • Role of indigenous sentinels in coastal defense
  • Atlantic world connections and cultural transformation