DR. MANUELA ALEJANDRA GOMEZ
Dr. Manuela Alejandra Gomez is a Professor of Philosophy at El Paso Community College with over 20 years of teaching experience on both sides of the U.S.–Mexico border. She specializes in philosophical pedagogy, ethics, feminism, visual literacy, and Latin American philosophy.
About Me
Hi, I'm Manuela Gomez, Ph.D.
I'm a philosophy professor at El Paso Community College, and I believe philosophy belongs to everyone, not just the voices found in a traditional Western canon. My work sits at the intersection of philosophy and the US-Mexico border, where I developed Desenterrando Conocimientos ("Unearthing Knowledge"), an approach to teaching and research grounded in the lived experience of border communities.
I care deeply about reshaping how philosophy is taught: bringing multicultural perspectives into the classroom, centering students who don't always see themselves reflected in the discipline, and showing that rigorous thinking can come from anywhere, including right here in El Paso. My research and writing explore feminist philosophy, philosophy in action, and what it means to do philosophy with a community, not just about one.
Order My New Book:
Intersecting Worlds in Mexican American Philosophy, Teaching and Learning from the Border
Drawing from more than twenty years of teaching along the U.S.–Mexico border, Manuela Alejandra Gomez examines the lived experiences of Mexican American students navigating multiple cultures, languages, and identities. Grounded in a five-year research study, ethnographic observations, and personal testimonies, she reveals how these intersecting experiences shape philosophical inquiry and learning.
Through this lens, Gomez reimagines philosophy as a discipline enriched by diverse cultural perspectives. She invites readers to reconsider long-standing assumptions about what it means to philosophize, expanding the field to include the voices, histories, and intellectual traditions of Mexican American communities. In doing so, she offers a compelling vision for a more inclusive and culturally responsive philosophy.
Blending scholarship with practical pedagogy, the book provides educators with thoughtful strategies for creating classrooms where students' identities are recognized as sources of intellectual strength. By connecting philosophy to everyday lived experience, Gomez demonstrates how culturally informed teaching can foster deeper engagement, critical thinking, and belonging.
Book Reviews
