Dr. Jeffrey Klaiber, S.J.
Department of History, Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya
Title and Précis:
A very complex social, political, and moral relationship exists between the leftist-populist regimes of Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay and the Catholic Church. Though democratically elected, some of these regimes have displayed authoritarian tendencies and have taken an antagonistic stance toward the Church for criticizing these regimes. A specific point of contention are religion courses taught in public schools and state funded religious schools such as Fe y Alegría run by the Jesuits. The project aims to examine this complex relationship while paying attention to the different stances and roles the Church is assuming or is likely to assume. Recent literature on the leftist-populist regimes of Latin America will be analyzed and interview of significant observers from each country will be conducted.
Biography:
Dr. Jeffrey Klaiber, S.J. is Professor of History at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru in Lima, Peru. Fr. Klaiber earned his Doctoral degree in History from The Catholic University of America in 1976. He has served as a visiting professor at Georgetown University, Boston College and St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia. Fr. Klaiber has been the recipient of numerous awards, honors and grants and has published widely in the areas of Latin American history and Roman Catholicism.
