Robert K. Sitler
Professor of Modern Languages & Literatures
Stetson University DeLand, Florida 32723
(386) 822-7281 robertsitler.com stetson.edu/~rsitler/
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature, University of Texas at Austin 1994
Through Ladino Eyes: Images of the Maya in the Spanish American Novel
M.A. in Spanish, Kent State University 1989
B.A. in Spanish & Latin American Studies, Kent State University 1977
PUBLICATIONS
“The 2012 Phenomenon Comes of Age,” Nova Religio 16.1 (August 2012): 61-87
“Astronomy in the Mayan Long Count.” ABC-Clio World History Ancient and
Medieval Eras (Database) (2011). Thanasiu, Page, and S. M. Walter.
“2012: Antik Maya,” Aktüel Arkeoloji Dergisi. Istanbul: Temmuz-Ağustos 2011. “The 2012 Phenomenon: New Uses for an Ancient Mayan Calendar,”
2012: Decoding the Countercultural Apocalypse” London: Equinox, 2010
The Living Maya: Ancient Wisdom in the Era of 2012. Berkeley, CA: North
Atlantic Books, 2010.
Translation of Gaspar González. 13 B’aktun: Maya Visions of 2012 and Beyond.
Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2010.
“'2012' a teachable moment for Maya culture experts.” Orlando Sentinel (Nov.
2009)
“Quiche on 2012 Movie Menu Tastes Old.” Daytona Beach News-Journal (Nov.
20, 2009)
"2012 and the Maya World." The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies &
Possibilities. Boulder,CO: Sounds True, 2007. 89-107.
"Apocalypto wrongly portrays Mayan natives as bloodthirsty." Daytona Beach
News-Journal (Dec. 24, 2006)
"The 2012 Phenomenon: New Age Appropriation of an Ancient Mayan Calendar."
Nova Religio 9.3 (Feb., 2006)
“Understanding Death in a Mayan Market.” Community College Humanities
Review 22:1 (Fall, 2001): 88-98
“El mundo maya en la novela mesoamericana: hacia una visión más íntegra.”
Literatura indígena de América. Guatemala: Asociación B’eyb’al, 1999. 229-37 “Miguel Angel Asturias: ‘Gran Lengua’ of the Maya: A Myth That Will Not Die.”
South Eastern Latin Americanist 41:3,4 (1998): 1-8
“Gaspar Pedro González: The First Maya Novelist.” SECOLAS Annals 28 (1997):
67-72
“A Conversation with Gaspar Pedro González.” Abya Yala 10.2 Summer (1996):
22-24
“Rosario Castellanos' Oficio de tinieblas: The Maya Otherworld through Ladina
Eyes.” Selected Proceedings of the 16th CHISPA. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State
UP, 1995. 347-56
“The Presence of Jesus Christ in Lazarillo de Tormes.” Dactylus 12 (1993): 85-97
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
“Maya Perspectives on 2012” American Anthropological Assn. Nov. 2012, San
Francisco
Invited speaker at the Maya at the Playa Conference in Flagler Beach, FL
(2007,’08,’09,’12)
Invited speaker at the Institute of Maya Studies in Miami. “Maya Perspectives on
2012”
Invited speaker at the “Empowering the Transformation” conference in Ft.
Collins, CO May 2009
Invited speaker at the “Unveiling 2012” conference in Sarasota, FL Oct. 2008
“On-line Prophecy and the Mayan 'New Dawn'." Indigenous Peoples in Digital
Cultures. University of Florida. Gainesville, 20078
“Gaspar González: Gran Lengua of the Maya” at the conference of the American
Comparative Literature Assn. at Harvard March, 2009
“2012 and the Maya World.” Latin American Studies Association conference.
Montreal 2007
"On-line Prophecy and the Mayan 'New Dawn'." Indigenous Peoples in Digital
Cultures. University of Florida. Gainesville 2007
"Perspectivas sobre la fecha 2012 en la cuenta larga." Sexto Congreso de Estudios
Mayas. Universidad Rafael Landivar. Guatemala City. 2005
“Perspectives on the 2012 Date in the Mayan Long Count.” Latin American Studies
Association conference. Las Vegas 2004
“Blue Monkeys and Native Scribes: At the Interface of American and Mayan
cultures.” Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies conference. Santo
Domingo, Dominican Republic 2004
“Healthcare in the Mexican-American Community of Northwest Volusia County,
Florida.” Conference of the Southeastern Council on Latin American Studies at
Duke University. 2003
“Understanding Death in a Mayan Market.” CCHA Regional Conference. Santa Fe,
NM 2000
“Contrasing Images of Mayan Culture in the Cuchumatán Mountains.” Blue Ridge
International Conference on the Humanities and the Arts. Appalachian State
University 2000
“La literatura del mundo maya al final del baktún 13.” Twentieth Century
Cambalache conference. University of Havana. Havana, Cuba 1999
“The Changing Face of the Mayan Novel.” Southeastern Council of Latin
American Studies conference. Lafayette, LA 1999
“El mundo maya en la novela mesoamericana: hacia una visión más íntegra.”
Primer Congreso Interamericano de Escritores Indígenas. Guatemala City,
Guatemala 1998
“Weaving Life’s Favric in teh Mayan Community” Southeastern Council of Latin
American Studies conference. Savannah, GA 1998
“Miguel Angel Asturias, ‘Gran Lengua’ of the Maya: A Myth That Will Not Die.”
Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies conference. San José, Costa
Rica 1997
“Todos Santos: An Update.” At the 19th National Third World Conference.
University of Nebraska-Omaha 1996
“Gaspar Pedro González: First Mayan Novelist.” Southeastern Council of Latin
American Studies conference. Miami, FL 1996
“Remnants of Racism in Miguel Angel Asturias’ Hombres de maíx” 12th Mid-
America Conference on Hispanic Literature. University of Colorado-Boulder
1995
“Rosario Castellanos' Oficio de tinieblas: The Maya Otherworld through Ladina
Eyes.” 16th CHISPA conference. Tulane University 1995
“Teaching About Latin America.” Multicultural Education Institute. Stetson
University 1995
“Popular Music in Tres tristes tigres: Sounds of a Sacred River.” Rediscovering
America conference. Louisiana State University 1993
“The Hidden Presence of Jesus in El Lazarillo de Tormes.” 11th CHISPA
conference. Louisiana State University 1991
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Professor of Modern Languages. Stetson University
Courses on Spanish language and literatures, Maya culture, Latin American
humanities, foreign language teaching methodology
Elderhostel Instructor, Stetson University Courses on Maya culture and
contemporary Mesoamerican peoples
Assistant Spanish Instructor. University of Texas at Austin 1989-94
Spanish Instructor. Concordia College, Austin, TX 1993-94
Teaching Assistant. Kent State University 1987-89
LEADERSHIP AT STETSON UNIVERSITY
Director of Latin American Studies Program (current)
Director of Plaza Comunitaria & Mexican-American internships (current)
Leader of Values Commitments Steering Team (current)
Member of Ethics Course Committee
Member of Environmental Sciences Committee
Faculty Senator 1998-99 2009-11
Director of the Discovery Program. Experiential learning course for first-year
students (1998- 2000)
Member of International Programs Committee 1995-97
Humanities Division Secretary 1995-96
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Program Director & Spanish Instructor, International Studies Abroad. At the
University of Guanajuato, Mexico Summers 1991-94
Examiner. Texas Oral Proficiency Test 1994
Carpenter and construction supervisor 1978-87
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ABROAD
Director of Mentored Field Experience course in Peru – Summer 2012
Director of Mentored Field Experience course in Argentina – Summer 2010
Director of Latin American Studies program in Guanajuato, Mexico -Summer 2007
Director of Mentored Field Experience course in Maya Belize –Winter 04-05
Participant in Fulbright Summer Seminar in Peru/Argentina -Summer 04
Director of Mentored Field Experience course in Maya Mexico -Winter 00-01
Participant in N.E.H. Summer Institute “The Mayan World” in Guatemala,
Honduras and Mexico –Summer, 00
Regular cultural immersion in Mam Maya community of Todos Santos
Cuchumatán, Guatemala 1994-2008
Broad experience in K’iche’, Kaqchikel, Yukatek, Ch’ol, Tzetltal, Lacandon,
Otomí, Mazatec, Chichimec, Tenek, Tarascan and other Native American
communities of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Peru, Costa Rica and elsewhere
AWARDS
McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching, Stetson University 2001
Service Champion Award, Stetson University 2007, 2010
Summer Grant. Stetson University 1995, 1996, 1998, 2006, 2011
Texas Excellence Teaching Award for College of Liberal Arts. University of Texas
at Austin 1994
LANGUAGES
Advanced proficiency (ACTFL scale) in Portuguese
Intermediate-Low proficiency in Mam Maya
Novice-Mid proficiency in Yukatek Maya
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Latin American Studies Association
South Eastern Council on Latin American Studies
Guatemalan Scholars Network
Sigma Delta Pi national Spanish honorary |