Monthly Archives: February 2013

CALL FOR PAPERS: PILAS Conference 2013 (19 – 21 June 2013, University of Liverpool, UK)

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“Towards a New Geometry of Power: Confronting Latin America’s Past in order to Shape its Future”

Students are invited to submit abstracts on ANY ASPECT of their research within the field of Latin American Studies for PILAS 2013. We are looking forward to receiving a wide range of interdisciplinary postgraduate research on Latin America.

PILAS also welcomes papers that engage with the conference’s main theme, “Towards a New Geometry of Power: Confronting Latin America’s Past in order to Shape its Future”.

September 11 of this year will mark the 40th anniversary of the coup in Chile which overthrew the Salvador Allende government. Drawing on this critical moment in Latin America’s history, this theme encourages postgraduate researchers to consider the dialogical and inter-relational dynamic between previous historical and political experiences and some of the recent developments in Latin America; with a particular emphasis on the re-negotiation and reconfiguration of socio-political and economic power relationships. Possible topics may relate to: reconsiderations of the State and Civil Society binary and the changing nature of these two concepts; social movements in historical context; the renegotiation of social, political and cultural boundaries, spaces and relationships “from below”; new directions in Latin American and Caribbean economies; the impact of regional economic trade initiatives and political polarisation as expressed through a variety of media.

We welcome papers from across the disciplines as we wish to attract as many views on Latin America as possible. We also encourage postgraduate students to consider making a panel proposal to the PILAS committee. This year we will also be making a “Poster Presentation” space available throughout the conference, where researchers will be able to display their projects in poster format and discuss their work with other postgraduate students in a relaxed environment. This may be particularly appealing to postgraduates who would like the opportunity to discuss their research in a more informal setting. Those who plan on giving a paper at the conference are also equally welcome to participate in this forum.

To submit an abstract for a paper, panel or poster (up to 250 words), please fill in the “Paper Proposal” section of the Conference Registration form (available via the PILAS website) and send the completed form as an attachment to pilasconference@gmail.com by 15 April. Please see the website for more details, including presentation specifications.

Conference Registration Deadline: 15 APRIL 2013

All students planning to attend PILAS 2013 – whether to present a paper, poster, or simply to enjoy the conference – should register using the same form.

Attending this conference is FREE to all participants. Postgraduate students who do not wish to present a paper or poster are warmly invited to attend and partake in discussion.

More information: Website and Facebook

 

Obituary Elizabeth Kerr

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It is with great sadness that we share with our readers the death of our dear friend and PhD colleague Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Kerr who died of cancer at the age of 38 on 4 January 2013.

Libby dedicated a great part of her life to peace research and to activism in conflict-prone areas, with a particular passion for the people of Colombia.  Not only did she seek to understand the displaced and most vulnerable people with a lot of compassion, but she also knew about the power of sharing knowledge, not least as a contributor to our blog. We are struggling with having lost such a great young scholar and friend, and we miss her wisdom and warmth.

New partnership with Latin American Bureau (LAB)

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We are very happy to announce that Latin American Bureau (LAB) is now an official partner organisation of Researchingsecurity (click here).

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“LAB is an independent charitable organisation based in London providing news, analysis and information on Latin America, its people, politics and society. LAB exists to promote greater understanding and awareness of the region through our e-mail newsletter, website and social media. We publish newsletters, interviews, articles, videos and reports on the most critical issues facing the region. We particularly aim to provide a channel for NGOs and civil society in Latin America to tell the world about their work.

For over 40 years, LAB has disseminated information on Latin America aimed at stimulating and influencing debate on issues of human rights, development, social and economic justice, political rights, culture and environmental degradation. We are widely known for our books, including the classic Under the Eagle: U.S. Intervention in Central America and the Caribbean by Jenny Pearce; America’s Backyard by Grace Livingstone; Murder in the Rainforest by Jan Rocha; and Faces of Latin America by Duncan Green.”