In early July, our organization, Dialektika: Global Forum for Critical Thinking, the Humanities, and the Social Sciences, participated in the Annual Conference of the Society for Latin American Studies (SLAS) held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
From 1 to 3 July, Dialektika, represented by the president of our organization, together with researchers, professors, and representatives of various organizations and other sectors, met to discuss crucial issues in Latin American studies. The conference’s central theme was “In/Justice in Latin America and the Caribbean,” featuring panels on Literature, Cinema, Art, and History; Politics, Political History, and Economy; Violence, War, and Crime; Urban Issues, Planning and Urban Development; Gender Studies and Feminisms; Race, Ethnicity and Indigenism; Environment and Climate Change.
According to the organizers, the choice of the central theme was driven by “the need to address ongoing inequalities and struggles, as well as the successes, in the quest for social justice amidst a persistent climate of antagonism and polarization.”
These topics, along with others addressed in individual presentations, set the symbolic tone for three days of debate on the evolution of Latin American studies, transcending borders and disciplines. Additionally, this year’s conference included an extra day for postgraduates organized by PILAS (Postgraduates in Latin American Studies). The event also coincided with the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation (CEDLA).
SLAS is one of the world’s leading organizations in Latin American studies. Its annual conferences bring together scholars, journalists, artists, editors, and intellectuals from around the globe. Meanwhile, CEDLA conducts and promotes research on Latin America’s development and disseminates findings through academic education, events, and publications.
A highlight of the conference was the keynote lecture “Ambiguity of Law: Social Movements, Judicialization, and Lawfare in Latin America” by Rachel Sieder (CIESAS, Mexico).
Rachel Sieder is a Senior Research Professor at the Center for Research and Higher Studies in Social Anthropology (CIESAS) in Mexico City. She is also an associate researcher at the Chr. Michelsen Institute and a global researcher at LawTransform, the Center on Law and Social Transformation, both in Bergen, Norway. Her research interests include judicialization, human rights, indigenous rights, social movements, legal anthropology, the state, and violence.
