Project overview

My main research interest is Mexico City’s urban novel, specifically the literary depiction of city growth and its effects on social interactions, as well as the (de)formation of city/personal identity––a topic that connects with memory and remembrance artifacts, such as statues, monuments, museums. Considering that, I am interested in working on a map that highlights interstices between the literary representation of the city and site-specific places. In my own research, I approach the examination of the urban novel allowing for both the way in which city spaces were conceived for urban usage and how these spaces shape and change the lives (identity) and relations of those living in that space, according to novelistic depictions.

In collaboration with Alejandro Puga, I’d like to map the “Contemporary Lettered City” in order to explore the rich cultural urban life and its impact on its residents. For our purposes we will only consider events where writing and/or reading are at the center of the occasion, be it a book presentation, book fair, writing workshop, literary conference, poetry reading, etc. The objective is to understand what are the institutions behind it (and, consequently, who is behind these institutions) and how this cultural infrastructure serves (or not) as the foundation for the present character of the city as a cultural capital. Our question is, what is the relationship of literary authors with, the effect of these literary events on, a city/country that does not read? Can we identify “lettered” spaces? Who is in charge of these spaces and what is the desired outcome? What would that map reveal?