Exploring the history of gender and transnational state violence in the US-Mexican border region

Dr. Sonia Hernández, professor in the Department of History at Texas A&M University, has published an article in the September issue of the Journal of American History. Her article, titled "Gendering Transnational State Violence: Intertwined Histories of Intrigue and Injustice along the U.S.-Mexican Borderlands, 1900–1913," explores the complex histories of violence, gender and power dynamics in the U.S.-Mexican border region and the gendered aspects of violence and injustice.

"I am excited about how the lived experiences of women who take center stage in this article will be forever featured in the pages of this journal. To me, that is indicative of a discipline that has come a long way," said Hernández.

According to Hernández, a major part of her research included dissecting the testimonies of Mexican-origin women and how their experiences provide a glimpse into complicated gendered negotiations during encounters with state agents from both the United States and Mexico during the early 20th century.

Hernández received her Ph.D. from the University of Houston in 2006 and came to Texas A&M in 2014.

"My time in History here at Texas A&M since 2014 has been a wonderful learning experience," Hernández said. "As someone who studies labor issues from various perspectives and places, working conditions are extremely important to me. My labor experiences working as a professor, researcher and educator have been rewarding, not only to me, but to my family as well."

As Hernández continues her research and teaching, she hopes to keep disseminating information about these parts of history and how knowledge about this field can help promote transnational research.

"As I engage in this research on state violence, gender and transnational alliances in the early 20th century, I think about possibilities to expand the field—particularly histories related to the intersections of gender and labor—and how my work can influence, shape and inform other works in meaningful ways," she said.