SLAS Symposia Proposals October 16, 2007

SLAS symposia proposals October 16, 2007

1. Adama “Welcome to the Caribbean! The Incorporation of the Caribbean in Latin American Studies to Enhance Understanding and Knowledge of the Continent South America,”
   What constitutes the scientific distinction between the Caribbean and Latin America? Is it determined by geography, linguistics or the structure of colonization? This symposium proposes to incorporate the Caribbean in Latin American studies by arguing first, that knowledge of Caribbean social and political structures will enhance the study of the continent in general and will more specific enable scientist to increase insights on colonialism, racism, political populism and violence and second, that the incorporation of the Caribbean will provide more answers of how the continent deals with aspects such as regionalism, the USA, drug - trafficking and poverty.

1. Bowskill et. al. “Gender and Race in Latin American Cultural Production,”
   In recent years the boundaries of Latin American cultural studies have widened ever further as globalisation has led the Hispanic world to come into ever greater contact with its neighbours, thus raising questions about group and personal identities. Nevertheless, this contact between cultures actually dates back several hundred years. The papers in this panel examine some of the processes by which personal and group identities are represented in contemporary Latin American cultural production, ranging from questions of gender identity to questions of national and racial identity as different cultures come into contact.

1. Brown, “Informal Empire in Latin America: Commerce, Culture and Capital,”
   This panel will launch Informal Empire in Latin America: Commerce, Culture and Capital (Oxford: Blackwell, 2007), the first in Blackwell’s Society of Latin American Studies book series. Contributors to the book (from the fields of history, cultural studies and literature) will discuss the continuing relevance of the concept of ‘informal empire’ for understanding Latin America’s nineteenth century. They will identify an interdisciplinary research agenda for taking the subject forward. Invited speakers will comment on the originality of the book’s approach and the diversity of interpretations it advances.

1. Butler, M. Gaenger and Gibson “Cosmopolitan conduits - elite notions of progress in Latin America in the long 19th century,” ; ;
   This panel is interested in examining Latin American elite encounters with European models of knowledge, commerce, government or religion in the period from 1789 to the First World War. We seek to consider these interactions within the context of new transnational approaches and the growing historical interest in the global movement of ideas concerned with improvement, modernization and progress. Papers will include the institutionalisation of Peruvian archaeology in the context of a global scholarly community, Argentine modernisation of 'pastoral' agriculture through the interaction with British technology, and loyalist revolt and re-colonisation in Santo Domingo during independence movements elsewhere in Spain's empire.

1. Camargo, R., “The Actuality of Latin American Critical Thought”
   Latin American critical thought has a long and complex history that extends from the ‘integrationist’ thesis of Bolivar and Miranda, through the social radical theory of Mariateggui and Recabarren and the economic dependence theory of Cardozo and Faletto, to the revolutionary political thought of "Che" Gevara, amongst many other theoretical trends. Taking into account such complexity, the purpose of this symposium is to explore and re-discuss different trends in, expressions of, and ways through which critical thought has developed in Latin American intellectual history. Furthermore, the symposium will revolve around the question of the actuality (originality and pertinence) that the tradition of Latin American critical thought could present in the current context of the region.

1. Carpenter, V. “Who are You: Representations of Identity in Latin American Narrative,”
   The forum invites papers in English and Spanish on the representation of identity in Latin American narrative. It is hoped that at least three distinct subject threads will form the basis for individual sessions. This year, a particular attention is paid to transcultural influences in Latin American literature. Cross-disciplinary papers are also welcome. The topics to be covered by the forum include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Literary representations of historical events which (in)formed Latin American identities
• Subalternity in Latin American literature
• Gender issues in literature
• Intertextual and/or crosscultural analyses

1. Castro et. al., “Environmental and Social Justice in Latin America,”
   This symposium addresses the problematic relationship between environmental and social justice in Latin America. It will explore the conceptual aspects of this relationship by reference to specific examples arising from ongoing research on a diversity of environment problems in Latin America, particularly ecological distribution conflicts (e.g. around water sources and services, oil and gas resources, etc.), and the social impact of climatic changes (e.g. floods, desertification). We are particularly interested in exploring the difficulties experienced by left-wing thinkers and politicians to harmonize the principles and requirements of environmental and social justice in a context of structural constraints, development needs, and a legacy of relative neglect for the ecological limits of economic growth.

1. Correa, J. and Hernández, F, “Teaching and Learning Music in Latin-American Universities” ;
   At the present time, music departments in Latin-American universities are confronted with curricular reforms and international pressure for professional excellence and versatility. During the past century, advances in general education affected mainly elementary school, leaving further education in music behind. This means that, nowadays, inexperienced academic communities are moving towards an urgent implementation of models that ensure balance between holistic education, musicianship and the exigencies of a flexible labour market. In the context of these new challenges, participants in this panel are invited to contribute to the Latin-American debate about the designing of FE curricula and teaching strategies, on musical theory, musicology, composition and performance.

1. Emmerich, G. “Current Political Processes in Latin America,”
   In the last years, the Latin American political landscape has been transformed by the rise to power, through democratic elections, of left-leaning political parties and movements, mainly in South America. Notwithstanding, center or right-wing political parties have also been elected to power, in this case particularly in Mexico and Central America. We welcome papers dealing with issues as:

• The state of democracy in particular nations or in the region at large;
• Current national political processes (including analysis of recent elections);
• Cross-country comparative political analysis;
• Hemispheric, regional or sub-regional political international relations and alliances.

1. Fenwick, T. “Does Federalism Really Matter: Institutional Incentives, Electoral Strategies, and Policy Outcomes in Mexico, Argentina and, Brazil,”
   The study of Latin American Federalism is a rapidly growing area of research. Recent studies of federalism in Latin America have prioritized the ability of this governing system to provide institutional incentives to key stakeholders at various levels of government, its ability to structure unique electoral strategies, and its ability to determine both public policy and government effectiveness. The main objective of this panel is to unpack federalism in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil from an institutional perspective in order to understand how it can provide both incentives and constraints to key political institutions in these countries and consequently affect outcomes.

1. Fisher, J. “Positivism, Modernity and Science in Latin America: Mythology and Realities,”
   Although it is true that Positivist ideology was spread throughout the world, and, it seems, was of particular importance in Latin America, each country in the region adopted it through different social processes, arising from the particular needs imposed by its historical evolution. The aim of this symposium is to discuss the impact of Positivist ideas in the Latin America of this period, recognising its importance, but also exploring the myths, legends and misconceptions which have been constructed around the topic. It will also seek to revisit the theme in the light of modern theoretical frameworks. Paper proposals are invited from scholars working not only on Brazil and Mexico but also from those interested in the broader question of modernisation in other countries of the region in the late-XIX and early-XX centuries.

1. Gardini, G. And Lambert, P. “Latin American Foreign Policies between Pragmatism and Ideology”
   In recent years several Latin American countries have taken a more assertive stance in their foreign policy at regional and international level, which some observers have seen as indicative of greater regional solidarity and ideological commitment. However, closer inspection reveals a significant degree of pragmatism in the international insertion strategy of many Latin American countries, which undermines the rhetorical aims of regional solidarity. This panel examines this trend through a number of case studies, assessing whether or not it is possible to detect a new common trajectory in the international relations of Latin America. One of the expected outcomes of the panel is a book proposal for a co-edited volume to be submitted to publishers in summer 2008.

1. Goebel, M. “Migration and National Identities in Latin America since Independence”
   This panel seeks to bring together papers on the relationship between migrations and national identities in Latin America since independence. Similarly to the United States, whose history has informed most theoretical paradigms on migration, Latin America offers a rich variety of historical and contemporary migratory experiences. The forced passage of Africans, the arrival of Europeans in the Southern Cone and the more recent waves of migration within and out of Latin America are only the most salient of many possible examples, which in this panel will be discussed in view of their impact on Latin American national identities. Papers in Spanish and English are welcome.

1. Harris, C., A. Thakkar “Masculinities and Violence in Latin American Cultures” ;
   This is an exploratory and wide-ranging discussion of violence and masculinities in Latin American cultures. Papers might be concerned with questions of masculinity in relation to the representation of political violence, criminal violence, domestic violence and homophobia in a wide range of texts and discourses, including literature, film, poetry, television etc. We hope that resulting debates will engage with the following types of questions: Do Connell’s Gender and Power (1987) and Masculinities (1995) offer us, as he claims in the preface to the latter, a ‘systematic framework for the analysis of masculinities’? Which other frameworks – well-known or relatively unknown – might better inform such analysis and engage critically with Connell’s work? These questions are illustrative of the types of theoretical debates we would like to encourage but they are by no means prescriptive.

1. Howard, “The Banality of Violence in Latin America: Old and New Patterns of Violence, Terror and Fear,”

• It has become an almost commonplace assertion to argue that violence and
• crime have acquired alarming proportions and dimensions in many countries of
• Latin America. This has led some authors to speak of the ‘banalisation’ or
• ‘normalisation’ of violence in the region. This panel seeks to unpack these
• notions of “banality” and how these relate to different expressions of
• violence. This concern draws (albeit not exclusively) on the notion of “the
• banality of evil” developed by the German philosopher Hannah Arendt. Papers
• are invited to reflect critically and innovatively on violent contexts in
• Latin America to contribute to debates on theorising violence in the region.

1. Larizza, M. “Social Conflict and Political Change in the Andean Region: the Case of Venezuela”
   Prior to 1989, Venezuela was Latin America’s “near perfect” democracy. During the 1990s, this apparently stable political system went through a process of irreversible crisis and the “puntofijismo” gave the way to the rise of “Chavismo” and the “Bolivarian Revolution”. This panel will feature several Venezuelan experts with different perspectives on the current political, economic and social changes taking place in Venezuela. The contributions will cover a broad spectrum of Venezuelan politics, ranging from historical perspectives on the crisis of the “Punto Fijo” system, the polarization of the Venezuelan society during the 1990s, the political and economic dynamics generating the social programmers (misiones) targeting the lower strata of the population and the democratic credentials (or, conversely, the authoritarian risks) characterizing the ongoing project of constitutional reform.

1. Lievesley, G., S. Ludlam “Continent in Revolt? Analyzing the Pink Wave in Latin America,” ,
   Neo-liberalism and the Soviet collapse left social democrats and socialists in the developed world in retreat, but in the developing world created pressures and openings for the pursuit of social justice, above all in a Latin America seemingly in revolt against the ‘Washington Consensus’. Hence the symposium seeks papers addressing the significance of the ‘pink wave’ of centre-left and left election victories and revived calls for regional integration; and, secondly, analyses of the different strategies being followed, including the radical approach associated with the ‘Bolivarian alternative’, and more gradualist approaches in some of the continent’s economically most powerful states.

1. Lopez, B., Malcomson, H., Molina, A., “Place and Cultural Practices in Latin America,” ; ;
   This panel interrogates relationships between place and cultural practices, such as, although not exclusively, the visual arts, music, dance, popular culture, cultural patrimony, architecture and heritage. How are specific cultural practices (re)produced, and (re) presented through their interactions with both a 'sense' and the 'materiality' of place? Contributions are welcome from sociologists, anthropologists, musicologists, geographers, architects, urban planners and other areas.

1. Mayer, V., “Popular Music and Place in Contemporary Latin America,”
   Music is a present element in the life of individuals living as part of communities and nations. Music in Latin America holds a rich variety of expressions originated within and outside the region. In an expansive trend of cultural globalisation, the study of music in its relationship to place and identity becomes a tricky task. This panel invites paper proposals by researchers working in the field of popular music in contemporary Latin America. Special interest is drawn to topics which relate to the complexities of the relationship between music and nation, identity, and memory.

1. Mendoza-Botelho, “Social Change and Citizenship in Bolivia: Using social capital to assess the impact of decentralisation,”
   Since its implementation in 1994, Bolivia's decentralisation process has become one of its main intellectual exports of recent times and an emblematic case of institutional transformation in the developing world. Although available political theory provides a good initial framework to understand this process and its effects in Bolivia, it is still insufficient to explain the deep political and social transformations that this country has experienced over the last decade - such as the increasing presence and strength of social movements. The paper will discuss how decentralisation not only altered political structures allowing indigenous and other marginalized group to gain access to political power and social representation, but also how it fostered a new type of citizenship. As part of the dissucussion, notions of social capital will be used to link institutional processes with social change in Bolivia, providing also valuable lessons for other Latin American countries facing similar challenges.

1. Morrison, C., “Rupturing Paradigms: Challenging Genre and the ‘Exhaustion of Politics’ in Contemporary Argentine Productions,”
   Defying predetermined structures, contemporary Argentine cultural productions straddle the boundaries of genre, blur distinctions between artistic and political engagement, and confront power relations embedded within the city. While some changes are more overt responses to Argentina’s economic and institutional crisis of 2001, other shifts appear to critique broader aspects of Argentine society through altering aesthetics, revising urban imaginaries, and reconceptualising socio-political intervention. This panel will explore such ruptures within political, genre, and production paradigms evident in contemporary Argentine theatre, cinema, street art, and literature. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives, we aim to explore patterns and particularities of these cultural innovations.

1. Pérez, M., Pedroza, L., Treviño, G., “Unequal Opportunities in Basic Education in Mexico and the Role of the State,” ; ; ; ;
   Quality of basic education has been a key concern since the 1990s. Expected learning outcomes have not been met particularly by those students who are under the most disadvantaged socio-economic conditions; this seems to be related to an unequal provision of education. This panel will examine the conditions under which basic education is provided in Mexico. Participants will explore the differences in educational achievements and educational opportunities in basic education, analyse the role of the state in reducing or reinforcing educational inequalities, examine educational policies with an equal opportunities perspective and discuss alternatives to address this problem.

1. Preuss, O. and Sitman, R., “Latin American Encounters: an Intra-Peripheral Perspective on Collective Identities and Ideational Trends,” ;
   Recent historiography on the construction of collective identities -- national and transnational -- in Modern Latin America has focused on the relationships between the so-called center and periphery, characterised by unequal power relations. Consequently, this scholarship has paid relatively little attention to the significance of real and imaginary encounters within the region, thus neglecting the intra-Latin American context. This panel seeks to shift attention away from the West as the principal identitarian and ideational point of reference for Latin American intellectuals and focus, instead, on the circulation and interaction of people and ideas across national borders and their impact within the continent.

1. Raby, D. and Angosto, L., “Venezuela 1998-20008: A Decade of Revolution,” ; .
   The first presidential victory of Hugo Chávez took place on 6th December 1998. In less than a decade, the revolution that on that day started to take over institutional power has gone through a constituent period, numerous electoral legitimations, peak internal conflicts, a coup, a shift toward socialism, international successes and belligerent criticisms – among other things. In spite of this apparent turbulence, Venezuela has maintained surprising levels of economic growth and is consolidating its innovative proposals of participative democracy with a project of constitutional reform. In order to shed light on this sui generis process and its present state, in this panel we shall make a balance of a decade of revolutionary governments by analysing different aspects of society during this period. We therefore welcome papers dealing with any area of Venezuelan politics (national and international), economics or culture, especially those which include a temporal perspective (1998-2008).

1. Ramírez, P. And Miller, R. “Business and Management in Latin America,” ,