Andre虂s Rese虂ndez is a scholar of the world, informed by his own roots. Born and raised in Mexico City, Rese虂ndez studied international relations at El Colegio de M茅xico. After completing his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, he returned to Mexico, where he worked in everything from politics to historical consulting for soap operas. 鈥淚 was living the semi-nomadic life of the struggling academic until I arrived at 海角社区 [in 1998],鈥 said Rese虂ndez, professor of history at 海角社区.
Rese虂ndez specializes in early European exploration and colonization of the Americas, the U.S.-Mexico border region, and the early history of the Pacific, with an emphasis on the pioneering voyages and biological exchanges across the largest ocean on Earth 鈥 a large and multifaceted swath of history.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all rooted in my own history,鈥 Rese虂ndez explained, as he initially planned to study American history, but was drawn back to his roots. That instinct led Rese虂ndez to write many lauded books and articles, ranging from a failed 16th-century colonization attempt of Florida, in A Land So Strange, to the history of enslaved Indigenous peoples in the Americas, in The Other Slavery. 鈥淚鈥檓 a firm believer that if you鈥檙e going to write a book, you better be very invested in it because it鈥檚 a lot of work. It takes a lot of time. And if you are not fully invested, it鈥檚 not going to go well.鈥
Rese虂ndez is currently exploring the historical significance of expeditions connecting the American and Asian continents. These expeditions led to an ongoing exchange of goods between them. The introduction of American crops, like corn and sweet potatoes, to Asian countries, namely China, by early voyages had profound effects on China鈥檚 population growth. In 1500, China represented 25% of the world鈥檚 population. By 1800, China had grown to 36% of the total world population.
Rese虂ndez credited his exploration of the world to the United World College of the American West, an international high school he attended in New Mexico. It was there that Rese虂ndez was immersed in an international peer community. 鈥淚t was interesting to meet cultures in northern New Mexico, part of the United States, that still had a very strong Hispanic and Mexican presence, going back generations,鈥 he explained. 鈥淎s someone who grew up in Mexico City, I was quite fascinated to see other Mexicans who lived outside of Mexico and who, to me, felt both very similar and very different. That prompted my interest in identity.鈥
That interest has now come full circle. Rese虂ndez teaches a number of courses at 海角社区, some of which focus on Mexican culture and others on food and history.