I’m Rwany Sibaja, an associate professor in the history department at Appalachian State University, where I also serve as the director of the History Education Program .
As a cultural historian of modern Latin American history, my research focuses on sports and leisure. My current book project, Civilization and Barbarism in Argentine Soccer, looks at the conversations around the sport through the concerns and anxieties of Argentina’s middle classes.
For more about my research and interests, visit my professional portfolio. There you can find a list of courses I have developed over the years, publications, presentations, and my CV.
Why sports history?
Like many scholars, personal experiences shaped my academic journey. In the late 1960s, my parents immigrated to the U.S. from the Central American nation of Costa Rica. From my father, I gained an appreciation and love for fútbol. However, growing up in 1980s Los Angeles and Miami, any sport seemed fun to play and watch. Because I moved around a lot, my sports fandom has been shaped by my dual-national identity and the communities where I grew up: L.A. Lakers, L.A. Dodgers, Miami Dolphins, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, and the national soccer teams of my birth country (USA), family roots (Costa Rica), and research site (Argentina). I also support Atlanta United and Appalachian FC.
It’s been wonderful living in the High Country for the last decade. My wife teaches ESL in Ashe County Schools, and we have two college-age children, including a daughter beginning her senior of college this fall, and our son, who will be starting his sophomore year at Davidson College. Plus, we have a six-year-old Brittany named Django.
I look forward to working with you this summer! Email me at any time – I’ll do my best to respond within 24 hours, but I reserve weekends for family/home time.
