David Carrasco

David Carrasco is a prominent scholar of Mesoamerican studies, specializing in the Aztec civilization and Maya civilization. His work has been influenced by scholars such as Miguel León-Portilla and Alfredo López Austin, and he has collaborated with institutions like the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the University of California, Los Angeles. Carrasco's research has also been shaped by his interactions with Mexican art and Latin American culture, particularly through his studies of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. He has also drawn inspiration from the works of Octavio Paz and Carlos Fuentes.

● Early Life and Education

David Carrasco was born in the United States and developed an interest in Mesoamerican studies from an early age, inspired by the works of Eric Thompson and J. Eric S. Thompson. He pursued his higher education at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he earned his undergraduate degree, and later at the University of Chicago, where he received his graduate degree. During his time at the University of Chicago, Carrasco was influenced by scholars such as Milton Singer and Robert McCormick Adams, and he also had the opportunity to interact with Latin American studies programs at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His early education laid the foundation for his future research, which would focus on the Aztec calendar and the Maya mythology, as well as the cultural heritage of Mexico City and the Yucatán Peninsula.

● Career

Carrasco began his academic career at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he taught courses on Mesoamerican archaeology and Latin American history. He later joined the faculty at Harvard University, where he is currently a professor of Mesoamerican studies and Latin American studies. Throughout his career, Carrasco has been affiliated with various institutions, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Mexican Academy of Sciences. He has also collaborated with scholars from the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. Carrasco's work has been recognized by the Guggenheim Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Fulbright Program, and he has also received support from the National Science Foundation and the Social Science Research Council.

● Research and Publications

Carrasco's research has focused on the Aztec mythology and the Maya civilization, with a particular emphasis on the Aztec calendar and the Maya hieroglyphics. He has published numerous books and articles on these topics, including works on the Codex Mendoza and the Popol Vuh. His research has also explored the cultural heritage of Mexico City and the Yucatán Peninsula, as well as the impact of Spanish colonization on Mesoamerican cultures. Carrasco has collaborated with scholars such as William Hickling Prescott and Francisco de Sahagún, and his work has been influenced by the Mexican Revolution and the Latin American Boom. He has also drawn on the works of Jorge Luis Borges and Pablo Neruda to inform his research on Mesoamerican literature and Latin American poetry.

● Awards and Honors

Carrasco has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of Mesoamerican studies. He has been recognized by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the National Academy of Sciences. Carrasco has also received awards from the Mexican government, including the Order of the Aztec Eagle, and he has been honored by the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Michigan. His work has been supported by the Ford Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Tinker Foundation, and he has also received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Social Science Research Council.

● Personal Life

Carrasco is married to Eloise Quiñones Keber, a scholar of Mesoamerican art and Latin American culture. He has two children and resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he is actively involved in the Harvard University community. Carrasco is also a member of the Mexican Cultural Institute and the Latin American Studies Association, and he has served on the boards of the National Museum of the American Indian and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. His personal interests include Mexican cuisine and Latin American music, and he has a deep appreciation for the works of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Carrasco has also been influenced by the Chicano Movement and the Latin American diaspora, and he has worked to promote cultural exchange and academic collaboration between the United States and Latin America.