Juan Lindau has taught at 华体会 since 1989. He received a B.A. in Anthropology from New College in 1977, and a M.A. in Latin American Studies from Stanford University in 1980. He received, as well, a M.A. (1985) and a Ph.D. (1987,) both in Political Science, from Harvard University. He primarily teaches courses on Comparative Politics and Latin American Politics and actively participates, outside the department, in the History/Political Science major and the International Political Economy major. Several of Professor Lindau's courses are offered in both English and Spanish and students can elect to take the course in either language. He has taught off-campus courses both during the summer and the regular academic year in Mexico, Cuba, Chile, and Costa Rica.
His primary scholarly interests are the drug war, migration and the impact of the internet and digital technology on politics. He has written articles and essays for and for , , and for the as well as for a number of collected editions.
He is the author of (Mexico D.F.: Joaquin Mortiz, 1993) and co-editor, with Timothy Cheek, of (Boulder: Rowman and Littlefield, 1998). In addition, with Curtis Cook, he edited (Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press, 2000). He also published (Boulder: Rowman and Littlefield, 2023).
He has received the Lloyd E. Worner Teacher of the Year award, the A.E. and Ethel Irene Carlton Professorship, and served as chair of the department.