Jeffrey Lesser, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of History in Emory College and Director of the Halle Institute for Global Research, is renowned for his research on the construction of national identity in Brazil and on how immigrant and ethnic groups understand their own and national space. As Halle Institute director, he has created innovative programs that support faculty and student research, bridging disciplines and connecting Emory with scholars around the world.
Jeffrey Lesser
Jeffrey Lesser is Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of History, renowned for his research in Brazilian studies and modern Latin American history. He is a specialist in the construction of national identity in Brazil, focusing on questions of race, ethnicity and immigration; he is currently researching the relationship between health and immigration in Brazil.
Lesser is the author of several highly acclaimed books, including “Immigration, Ethnicity and National Identity in Brazil” and “Welcoming the Undesirables: Brazil and the Jewish Question.” He has been awarded prestigious grants from organizations such as Fulbright, Fulbright-Hays, Social Science Research Council, the Ford Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies.
While at Emory, Lesser has held multiple leadership roles, including directorship of the Latin American studies and Jewish studies programs and his time as chair of the Department of History. Most recently, as director of theHalle Institute for Global Research, he reorganized the institute to promote innovation and creativity through cross-disciplinary programs that connect Emory to researchers around the world.
Jeffrey Lesser
Emory College & Halle Institute for Global Research
