Veronica Davalos
Adjunct Instructor
Philosophy and Religion
Bio
Verónica Dávalos J., originally from Quito, Ecuador, currently works as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion in the College of Arts and Sciences at American University and as a Policy Organizer for the National Office at Jobs with Justice (JWJ) in Washington, DC. She holds a Master's degree in Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights from American University, along with professional certificates in project management, religious activism, spirituality, gender, migration studies, and political anthropology from institutions including Georgetown University and FLACSO in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In her master's thesis, "In Search of Self: Existential Inquiries and Phenomenological Reflections on Latin American Being," Verónica explores Latin American identity through a phenomenological lens. The interdisciplinary analysis intertwines phenomenology, literature, and introspection, questioning conventional definitions of identity by delving into the resistances and responses to external definitions, emphasizing the elusive nature of identity construction.
Over the past year, her research has been dedicated to the analysis and translation of Latin American philosophical texts, with a primary focus on the works of Leopoldo Zea and Carlos Vaz Ferreira. Her academic interests span Latin American philosophy, phenomenology, existentialism, applied ethics, and decolonial philosophy, integrating with contemporary ethical frameworks like the ethics of care.
She previously worked as a National Protection Associate with the United Nations Migration Agency / International Organization for Migration (IOM), leading projects addressing gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health rights, and the protection of vulnerable populations.
