Merle L Bowen

Merle L. Bowen is a Professor at the University of Illinois in the Department of African American Studies, with cross-appointments in Political Science, Gender and Women's Studies, and multiple interdisciplinary centers including the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity and the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies. His research focuses on Afro-Brazilian communities, land rights, and social movements in the African Diaspora. He holds a B.A. with honors and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto and an M.A.A.S. from the University of California.

Key research interests include the quilombo land movement in Brazil, the intersection of race and class in rural development, and Afro-descendant social mobilization. His recent book manuscript, *For Land and Liberty: Black Struggles in Rural Brazil*, examines ethno-racial movements in contemporary Brazil. He has received fellowships from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Carolina Postdoctoral Program, and the Center for Advanced Study.

Bowen has secured significant grants, including a $2.8 million Title VI grant for the Center for African Studies and a $149k grant for the Mandela Washington Fellows Civic Leadership Institute. His teaching covers African politics, global social movements, and diaspora studies.