Over the course of the twentieth century, San Miguel’s civic and cultural leaders made a series of trade offs to position the city as a “Best Destination” according to international travel trendsetters. This talk will examine economic development strategies and decisions about infrastructure and tourism promotion that prioritized international accolades over making San Miguel a great place to live.
Lisa Pinley Covert is an assistant professor of history at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. She earned a Ph.D. from Yale University in Latin American history with an emphasis on twentieth-century Mexico. Her book, San Miguel de Allende: Mexicans, Foreigners, and the Making of a World Heritage Site, based on more than ten years of research, examines how long-time residents and newcomers shaped San Miguel’s economic possibilities and cultural dynamics from the 1930s to the 1980s, and how these efforts paved the way for the 2008 UNESCO World Heritage designation.
Sold Out!