About

Javier Alvarez is a Ph.D student in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Western Ontario. He is a former Associate Researcher at the University of Chile and Diego Portales University, and Lecturer at the Catholic University Silva Henriquez, Central University, and the Alberto Hurtado University, in Chile. His research focuses on Indigenous language revitalization, Indigenous schools, and educational systems. He has worked as a consultant for institutions such as UNESCO, the United Nations, and the Ministry of Education in Chile. He has worked with social researchers from Canada, the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Chile, Honduras, and Guatemala. Javier received his Bachelors in Sociology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and a Master of Social Science at the University of Chile.

​

Javier is an interdisciplinary scholar whose research interests pertain to sociology, education, and linguistic anthropology. Currently, his line of research seeks to improve Indigenous language learning in schools using culturally relevant curriculum and teaching skills in the south of Chile. His research seeks to contribute to the revitalization of the Mapuche language in Chile and seeks to address concerns facing indigenous communities globally. Javier has worked directly with various Indigenous communities in Chile to improve the teaching of their languages, and he has worked closely with Indigenous teachers to improve their teaching skills. 

​

Javier has published in peer-reviewed journals and has presented his research in national and international conferences. His most recent publication is the book titled "Vocational Education in Comparative Perspective" published by the Diego Portales University and the article "Linguistic Violence in the Mapuche language" published in a peer-reviewed journal in Peru. He has also published in various media platforms in Chile and has been interviewed for his work on digital platforms, for example, the 2020 interview: El Chile de Hoy y del Mañana and his recent 2022 GradCast interview: Revitalizing Mapudungun: A Cooperative Effort.

​

In 2023, Javier was awarded the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS), which is designed to support and retain highly qualified doctoral students. This achievement enables him to pursue his research and dedicated work in the field of Indigenous language revitalization.