Dr. Roberto D. Hernández is an Associate Professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies at San Diego State University (SDSU), specializing in decolonial theory, border studies, and critical ethnic studies. Born in Mexico and raised in San Ysidro near the U.S./Mexico border, his work interrogates coloniality, geopolitical violence, and epistemic disobedience. He earned a BA (Honors) in Chicana/o Studies from UC Berkeley, followed by MA and PhD in Comparative Ethnic Studies (Black, Native, and Chicana/o Studies). His research spans colonial border violence, hemispheric indigeneity, and the decolonization of knowledge systems. Dr. Hernández’ key works include Coloniality of the U-S///Mexico Border: Power, Violence, and the Decolonial Imperative (2018), which analyzes border violence as a manifestation of colonial power. He coordinates international research institutes on decolonial thought and has authored/co-edited over 20 scholarly articles/books. His recent scholarship explores global indigeneities, anti-racist urban politics, and the decolonial reimagining of education systems. His research interests coalesce around challenging modernity’s colonial frameworks through interdisciplinary methods, emphasizing practical-critical engagement with marginalized communities. He has served on the NACCS governing board and contributed to anti-Mexican American Studies bans in Arizona. His work bridges academic rigor with grassroots activism, particularly in border communities facing state violence and displacement. Dr. Hernández also leads advanced international research initiatives like Decolonizing Knowledge and Power (Barcelona), Critical Muslim Studies (Granada), and Latin American Decolonial and Feminist Thought (Mexico City). His op-eds and keynote addresses further amplify decolonial praxis, urging transformative world-making beyond colonial cartographies.
