Miguel Rojas-Sotelo

Miguel Rojas-Sotelo is an Adjunct Professor at Duke University's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) and Director of the NC Latin American Film Festival. He holds a PhD in visual studies, contemporary art, and cultural theory from the University of Pittsburgh (2009). Previously, he served as Visual Arts Director at Colombia's Ministry of Culture (1995–2001). His academic work bridges art history, activism, and critical theory, focusing on decolonial aesthetics, Indigenous visual sovereignty, and the intersection of environmental and health humanities with cultural politics.

Research Interests: Decolonial aesthetics, subaltern studies, environmental humanities, Latin American visual production, Indigenous art practices, cultural sovereignty, and the politics of memory. His work emphasizes embodied territorial practices and intercultural dialogues with Indigenous communities.

Publications & Grants: Authored/co-edited books like "Territorio Encarnado" (2023) and "Mingas de la Imagen" (2022), and numerous articles on contemporary art and cultural theory. Holds grants from the UNC-Duke Consortium Title VI NRC (2018–2026) and the Department of Education (2014–2019).

Awards: 2017 National Art Criticism Award (Colombia) for "Soberanía Visual en Abya Yala". Recognized for curatorial work and contributions to Latin American cultural studies.

Labs/Initiatives: Co-founder of the Water Towns Environmental Film & Arts Festival and the Two-Way Bridges project fostering Duke-Durham Latino community connections. Active in curatorial projects like "Place of Encounters" (2023).