Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Estudios Norteamericanos "Benjamin Franklin" Home

In all developed states, the existence of a significant number of foreigners with illegal status poses considerable problems in multiple fields including; legal, sociological, cultural and ethical. Among these problems the least important is certainly not the status of fundamental rights of foreigners that each state recognizes.

US History, Literature, Culture, and Society is an area of research dedicated to the History, Literature, Culture, and Society of the United States and has been a main line of research from its Instituto Franklin origins included in the relations between the United States with Europe, specifically Spain.  This area of research is multidisciplinary and studies fields such as history, literature, art, film, and culture in North America. 

The "Friends of Thoreau" Program on American Environmentalism and Nature Conservation in North America, inspired on the philosopher, activist and writer Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), was established at Instituto Franklin - UAH in 2001.

The financial base of the Program is an endowment by Dr Marvin Douglas, when he passed away in 2003.  The Endowment consolidated the future continuity of  the activities, started at the Institute in 2001, under the sponsorship of the non profit organization of the same name, "Friends of Thoreau".

The area of research, Hispanics in the United States, is a high priority of Instituto Franklin - UAH. Over the years, projects have been developed with official state and private funding.  Through the success of such projects, the Instituto Franklin has been able to re-invest its own funds for additional projects, which has transformed the Institute into a focal point of reference on the subject for North American and European students.

Beginning with the findings of the research groups, the transfer of knowledge is executed under the support and supervision of the Insituto Franklin.

Research Groups and Projects:

Humanities