Patrick Barr-Melej

Patrick Barr-Melej is a Professor of History in the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio University, where he specializes in modern Latin American history with a focus on 20th-century political and cultural dynamics. He is also the Director of the Master of Social Sciences Program and serves as Faculty Senator representing his college. His research centers on Chile, youth culture, counterculture, the middle class, nationalism, and ideology.

• Ph.D. in History, University of California, Berkeley

Barr-Melej’s research explores the intersections of culture and politics in Latin America, particularly how youth movements, countercultural expressions, and middle-class identities shaped national trajectories in Chile and beyond. His work combines deep archival research with interdisciplinary insights from cultural studies and political theory. Key themes include revolutionary ideologies, resistance under authoritarian regimes, and the global impact of 1968.

The trends in his recent publications reflect a sustained engagement with cultural politics, youth activism, and transnational intellectual movements. His articles span topics such as U.S.-Chilean relations, post-dictatorship memory, and the global counterculture, demonstrating a consistent focus on how ideas and identities influence political transformation.

His scholarly achievements have been recognized with several honors:

• Distinguished Mentor Award, Ohio University Honors Tutorial College
• Outstanding Faculty Research Award in the Humanities, College of Arts & Sciences
• Former President, Southwestern Social Science Association

Barr-Melej has advised numerous graduate students in History and Latin American Studies, guiding theses on U.S.-Chile relations, Guatemalan revolutionaries, Pinochet-era journalism, and human rights in Argentina. He has also evaluated grants for Chile’s FONDECYT program and contributed to academic program assessments at the university level. His leadership roles include past chair of the History Department, interim chair of African American Studies, and former Executive Director of the Center for International Studies.

He is actively involved in academic communities through editorial work as the Latin America series editor for Ohio University Press and through frequent invited presentations at institutions like the Sorbonne, Oxford, and the National Library of Chile.