SCHOOL OF HISTORY
William Elvis
PLATA QUEZADA
Director of Sacred and Profane Research Group
Director of GED
Research Group
CONTACT
Information
weplataq@uis.edu.co
+57 (607) 634 4000
Extension: 1455
GENERAL
Biography
Professor William Elvis Plata Quezada has been researching the religious phenomenon in Colombia and Latin America since his student years. In this perspective, he made significant contributions alongside pioneers like Ana María Bidegain in establishing specialized research groups, one at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and another at UIS. He also played a key role in founding the Institute of Religious Sciences (ICER), which served as a driving force for advancing studies in this field within the country. Up until the 1990s, it appeared that these studies were largely confined to public universities and non-denominational private institutions.
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This area of study led him to actively engage in various projects. Initially, he took part in organizing an ecclesiastical archive affiliated with the Dominican order, as part of an extensive historical archival project spanning nearly five years. Furthermore, early in his career, he developed an interest in other disciplines within the social sciences and humanities. This enthusiasm fueled his commitment to exploring and teaching interdisciplinary research methodologies in the social sciences. This dedication culminated in the establishment of a master’s program in Methods and Techniques of Social Research at UIS.
Professor Plata Quezada has consistently collaborated with undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students to strengthen research on the religious phenomenon at both regional and national levels. He has also directed his efforts towards disseminating these studies within the community and mentoring future researchers in this field. This line of research is indispensable for comprehending the distinctive characteristics of the region’s culture and institutions, as well as for analyzing the identity and evolution of society.
EDUCATION AND
Qualifications
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Doctor in History, Art and Archaeology
Universidad de Namur y Universidad Católica de Lovaina, 2008
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Master in History
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 2001
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Historian
Universidad nacional de Colombia, 1997
Director of Sacred and Profane Research Group
Director of
GED Research Group
CONTACT
Information
weplataq@uis.edu.co
+57 (607) 634 4000
Extension: 1455
AREAS OF
Expertise
History of Religions
History of Christianity
Methodology of social and historical research
Historiography of Colombia
OFFICE
Hours
UIS Central Campus, Edificio Facultad Ciencias Humanas, Escuela de Historia
Outstanding
Works
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Resistir a la violencia y construir desde la fe: El caso de El Garzal en el Magdalena Medio, Colombia
Book, Ediciones UIS, 2018
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Catolicismo, cambio social y búsqueda de paz en Colombia: Historia y memoria
Book, Ediciones UIS, 2022