Faculty Spotlight: Professor Behzadi Cárdenas
Professor Behzadi Cárdenas is only in her fourth year at California Western, but she has already proven what makes her such a vital member of our faculty. Her scholarly work challenges legal norms that put marginalized communities’ cultural heritages at risk. And in the classroom, her student-centered approach gives students the skills and empowerment they are looking for.
California Western’s 2022 Professor of the Year sat down with us to talk about what drew her to the legal academy, what drives her research, and what makes her such a beloved professor on campus.
Q: What got you interested in the law in the first place?
As a child of immigrants, I was given two choices: either you become a lawyer or a doctor. I wasn’t good at math (which my students can attest) or science, so I chose the legal route. But the law is a family tradition as well. My great grandfather was a judge in Camagüey, Cuba. My grandfather studied law at the University of Havana. He was in his last semester when the Cuban Revolution broke out. He never finished his degree, as he fled to the United States with my mom. He always dreamt that his children and grandchildren would achieve his dream of becoming a lawyer. After much adversity, my mom eventually became a lawyer and later the first Cuban American female law school Dean.
My dad came to the United States when he was 17 from Iran after the revolution. Both of my parents escaped oppressive governments with the hope of finding a new and better life in the United States. Through them I have learned the importance and impact that human rights and social justice have on the law. My family has been my source of inspiration and the reason I am the professor (and person) I am today.
Q: You have an M.A. in Art History. How did that come about?
The first time I sat in an Art History class, I fell absolutely in love with it. It was writing; it was history; it was art; it was philosophy. In college, I called my parents and said I want to change my major to art history. They said, “As long as you go to law school!” So, I started looking for ways to incorporate art history into the law. When I discovered “art and cultural heritage law,” I knew that it was my calling. After law school, I went to New York University and predominately studied Latin American art.
Q: What brought you to California Western?
Before coming to California Western, I was working as an art and entertainment lawyer, teaching as an adjunct professor, and working on scholarly articles in order to obtain a position in academia. One of the eleven institutions I interviewed with was California Western, which was my top choice. I found great value in the extraordinarily diverse student body of California Western, the harmonious faculty-student relationship, and I felt instantly at home in San Diego. It was crucial that I locate a city with a large Latino population, as well as a diverse community, exactly as I did here. When I received the offer, I immediately accepted (which apparently is not something you’re supposed to do!). After five years, I am extremely pleased with my decision.
Q: Your work explores “cultural heritage as a means of both expression and marginalization.” Can you talk about the importance of understanding those different dynamics?
In the context of my research, I want people to understand the notion that cultural heritage possesses the potential to yield both power and privilege, while simultaneously serving as a mechanism of oppression. Throughout history, legal frameworks pertaining to cultural heritage have demonstrated preferential treatment towards specific groups, resulting in the systematic marginalization of certain communities.
This has often led to the misappropriation, disregard, or destruction of cultural heritage of oppressed communities. In addressing these ongoing injustices, it is important to acknowledge that these communities have these unique cultural expressions that are central to their identity. The focus of my work predominantly revolves around an equity and social justice framework. I explore strategies to safeguard cultural heritage and mitigate the marginalization of disadvantaged communities. Additionally, I investigate the potential of utilizing our respective heritages as means of fostering cultural diplomacy and cultural exchange.
Q: Your recent piece on Florida’s new Alien Land Law took you outside the realms of art and cultural heritage law—what drew you to the topic?
This law prohibits immigrants from seven countries—Cuba and Iran among them—from being able to purchase property within a certain number of miles from a government facility in Florida. As a Cuban-Iranian woman, I obviously felt appalled by this. I felt that the best way for me to channel my anger would be to write an essay about it. This essay criticizes the act as a blatant violation of the Federal Fair Housing Act. I also criticize Governor DeSantis’ harmful rhetoric targeted at immigrants. The law is currently being litigated in Florida, and I hope my academic contributions can help in its eventual invalidation. My article will be published in the South Carolina Law Review in January.
Q: California Western students named you Professor of the Year in 2022. What’s your approach to teaching? What do you think resonates with students?
My approach to teaching is twofold. First, I try to make my classroom environment very welcoming, inclusive, and safe. While I have high standards, I’m not needlessly hard on my students. I also bring myself into the classroom – my students know my dogs, my love of reggaeton and housewives, and my overall self-deprecating humor. I also use a lot of cultural references – they know I’m a big pop culture fan. I teach Property, which can be dry at times, so I try to make it bearable with fun fact patterns.
Second, my approach is very much assessment oriented. I work very hard to give students as many resources as possible to practice the material. I also give them a lot of formative assessments in the classroom, so they know how to approach these types of difficult questions when they eventually encounter them on the exam. I hope these approaches continue to resonate with my students. However, I am constantly trying to improve and work hard to give my students the best education possible.
Q: What are you looking forward to exploring in your work in the coming years?
Next trimester, I am looking forward to being on sabbatical, where I will be spending a great deal of time traveling and researching. Recently, I was invited to contribute to the Encyclopedia of Art and Cultural Heritage Law in Colombia. I will be spending a month in Colombia researching for this contribution. I also will be spending two months in Mexico, researching for my book proposal on cultural heritage law in Mexico. I am excited to dive deep into my research on Latin American cultural heritage and get to know locals that are directly impacted by the laws I write and research about.