Pilar Villanueva-Martinez

Pilar Villanueva-Martinez is a Lecturer at the Hertfordshire Business School, University of Hertfordshire. Her research focuses on urban cultural productions by racialized women in Latin America, particularly exploring music and street art through decolonizing methodologies. She examines how these artistic practices challenge colonial, capitalist, and patriarchal structures in spaces like Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and beyond.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Latin American Cultural Studies, University of Texas at Austin (2024)
• MA in Latin American Cultural Studies, University of Texas at Austin (2020)
• BA (Hons) in Hispanic Literature and Linguistics, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2017)

Research Interests: Her work intersects gender, power, and urban space with a focus on Black, Indigenous, and Mestiza women’s rap music and activism. She analyzes how these communities redefine territorial identities and resist oppression through sound, performance, and spatial practices. Key themes include ancestral knowledge, youth resistance, and decolonial frameworks.

Grants & Collaborations: No specific grants are listed, but her research engages with transnational networks and decolonial scholars. Geographic collaborations include Mexico, Colombia, and Chile.

Labs/Teams: Not explicitly mentioned, though her work likely intersects with cultural studies and gender research groups at her institution.