Bantjes, Adrian A., 1959-2010

Adrian A. (Alexander) Bantjes was an associate professor of history at the University of Wyoming. Born September 19, 1959, in Kingston, Ontario, Bantjes spent most of his early life in the Netherlands, where he received his bachelor's (1980) and masters (1983) degrees in modern history from University Leiden. Bantjes continued with his doctoral studies in Latin American history at El Collegian de Mexico, Mexico City and eventually received his PhD in Latin American history from the University of Texas at Austin (1991).

Bantjes joined the University of Wyoming faculty in 1991, where he taught in the history department and Chicano Studies and American Indian Studies programs. Bantjes's research and teaching focused on modern Latin American history with an emphasis on the political, social, cultural, and religious history of 20th century Mexico. Building on the subject of his doctoral research, the Mexican Revolution (1910-1940), Bantjes published the book, “As If Jesus Walked on Earth: Cardenismo, Sonora, and the Mexican Revolution”. As a result of this work, Bantjes received the Michael C. Meyer Prize in 1997. After completing his book, Bantjes published a series of essays on the cultural revolution in Mexico, highlighting the relationship between state formation and popular religiosity. As an academic pastime, Bantjes was attracted to the cultural history and significance of fly-fishing. He taught one of the first courses on the history of fly-fishing at a U.S. university and published several essays on the history of fly-fishing in the Rocky Mountains. Bantjes was working on a second book at the time of his death in 2010.