Tulane University

Pamela Neumann earned her M.A. in Latin American Studies in 2011 and a Ph.D. in sociology in 2016 from the University of Texas at Austin. This fall she is teaching a course entitled “Gender and Politics in Latin America.” Using case studies from both Central and South America, the course delves into the legacy of colonialism in shaping gender norms and hierarchies in Latin America, as well as how women’s movements have contributed to social and political change in the region. The course also takes a transnational lens to examine how global institutions like the United Nations and the World Bank have sought to regulate gender and sexual identities and expression in Latin America. Specific topics include: feminisms in Latin America, state violence and women’s mobilization, the gendered impacts of globalization and economic restructuring, social inclusion/citizenship, and access to health care/reproductive rights

Neumann’s current research examines violence against women, feminist activism, and the legal justice system in Nicaragua. Her book project is tentatively entitled “Defaulting on Women: Transnational Governance, Legal Activism, and Gender Violence in Nicaragua”. Adopting a transnational feminist theoretical lens, the book analyzes how gender hierarchies are both embedded and embodied in the structure of state entities as well as in the broader system of global governance addressing violence against women. Drawing on 10 months of ethnographic field work in Nicaragua as well as extensive archival work, Neumann traces the historical dynamics of feminist activism concerning violence against women in Latin America, scrutinizes everyday bureaucratic practices in police stations and prosecutor’s offices, and considers the promise and limitations of transnational legal advocacy for addressing gender-based violence. Neumann argues that policies to address violence against women must include institutional capacity building, enhanced accountability for state officials, targeted investment in alternative housing, and greater income-generating opportunities for women seeking to rebuild their lives

At Tulane, Neumann will build on her previous research by examining how local women’s organizations approach the issue of gender-based violence, particularly in Latino/a communities. Research now shows that the dominant focus on carceral solutions in the United States has produced a host of negative consequences, particularly for women of color who are now being imprisoned at unprecedented rates. Neumann will study how the strategies and advocacy efforts of local feminist organizations in New Orleans have been impacted by the proliferation of punitive models for reducing gender-based violence, as well as what other alternative models have emerged to combat such violence.

Neumann’s work has been published in academic journals such as Gender & Society and Social Problems, as well as on several academic blogs. She is also a co-author of Invisible in Austin: Life and Labor in an American City (University of Texas Press 2015). Prior to her graduate studies, Pamela worked for an AmeriCorps program in Texas and an NGO in Nicaragua, experiences which continue to shape her approach to research and teaching to this day.

Pamela Neumann CV