Tourist-Technicians: Civilian Diplomacy, Tourism, and Development in Cold War Yucatán

Abstract

An enormous number of people deserve my thanks and, of course, I have very little time and space in which to give it. I must express my gratitude first to Iowa State University's History Department and its graduate program. The graduate program has been a wonderful experience for me, challenging me to grow as a scholar, a teacher, and a professional. More professors than I am able to list here have offered me advice and encouragement during my years here. To name just a few, Dr. James Andrews, Dr. Kathleen Hilliard, and Dr. John Monroe have taught me the fundamental questions and conversations of the historical profession. Thank you especially to my advisor Dr. Bonar Hernández, who has been unfailingly supportive and given incisive feedback on draft after draft. It is under his guidance that have begun to learn writing as a professional craft, a process I hope will continue for my entire career. My committee members Dr. Michael Christopher Low and Dr. Amy Erica Smith offered thoughtful and meticulous commentary on my work and answered questions I didn't know that I had. The guidance of these three professors will shape the way that I think, read, and write for the rest of my life.