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William Booth is a historian of twentieth century Latin America with a particular focus on Mexico and U.S.-Latin American relations. His research largely focuses on socialism and communism in the Americas, on radical transnational networks, and on the historiography of the Cold War. He has taught at Warwick, Oxford, LSE and Johns Hopkins SAIS as well as previously having taught at UCL History and most recently at the Institute of the Americas.
Major publications
Forthcoming Book: A Prehistory of Revolution: Latin American Lefts in the Early Cold War (Verso)
2020 Article: “Rethinking Latin America’s Cold War” in Historical Journal
2018 Article: “Hegemonic Nationalism, Subordinate Marxism: The Mexican Left 1945-7” in Journal of Latin American Studies
2012 Article: “Mid-Century Communisms: A Schematic Approach?” in The International Newsletter of Communist Studies, XVIII (2012), pp 403-10
Media appearances/public engagement
Bill appears regularly on radio and television (LBC, BBC News, France24, TRT World) discussing Latin American history and politics. He has contributed to numerous blogs and podcasts as well as hosting the Radical Americas Podcast. At Oxford and UCL he has worked to expand access to higher education to students from historically excluded backgrounds, and to help those students adjust to university life and fulfil their potential.
Teaching
Culture and Revolutions in Latin America (Advanced Seminar)
History, Democracy, Memory (Second Year Thematic)
Crime and Punishment in Latin America (Second Year Research Seminar)
Latin America's Cold War (third-year special subject)
Latin America in Global Intellectual History (MA Module)
