dr. D.A. Brablecova PhD (co-ordinator)
D.A. Galdo Gonzalez BSc

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This course will provide a fresh look into the region's critical challenges and notable achievements, by examining the most pressing and paradigmatic issues affecting the countries that conform contemporary Latin America. You will dive into the region's distinct social, political, and economic realities from a range of disciplines and case studies, emphasising the commonalities found among countries while providing insight into regional differences and acknowledging the particularities of sub-regions and states. All topics will be presented and analysed in light of recent research and the lecturer's personal experience and expertise in the region, accounting for Latin American rich geographical, socio-political and cultural diversity. Indigenous and other minorities, peasants and city dwellers, and rural and urban social realities will be discussed and placed in a local and international context, recognising the region's importance for the rest of the world.

D.A. Galdo Gonzalez BSc

dr. N. Rodríguez Idarraga (co-ordinator)

In this course we deal with the causes and consequences of political turmoil and change in Latin America, with an emphasis on democratization and democratic backsliding, economic development policy, and mobilization around 'old' and 'new' social and political issues, such as participation, (human) rights, (social) justice and violence. 

dr. D.A. Brablecova PhD (co-ordinator)

In this course students learn about doing social science research, through learning by doing. You will learn about research design and methodology, but also conduct a small research of your own. The course can be seen as a preparation for your internship and/or field research in Latin America. It will start with a theoretical introduction in the form of lectures based on knowledge-transfer and -building. 

D.A. Galdo Gonzalez BSc
dr. JHJ Weegels (co-ordinator)

Gender, class and ethnic relations in Latin America are being reshuffled and rapidly changing in the context of globalization, social transformations and political turmoil. The women’s movement received a new impetus as millions of women took to the streets to protest gendered violence. Restructuring labour markets, economic challenges and increasing (re)migration flows have produced additional effects and demands in the daily lives of women and men, but have also offered new opportunities. 

dr. D.A. Brablecova PhD (co-ordinator)
D.A. Galdo Gonzalez BSc
 

How are race/ethnicity and colonisation connected, and in what ways have racialised populations been impacted by the workings of racism around the world? What are the implications of demanding the recognition of an Indigenous identity when living in the city? To what extent have those suffering the consequences of racism been able to organise resistance movements to defend their collective rights? And how do post-colonial states around the world have responded to the increasing demands articulated by racialised populations both nationally and internationally? 

dr. C. Klaufus (co-ordinator)
I. Mollinger

In this course students will explore the workings of urban identity formation and its roots, making use of geographical, sociological and anthropological studies. In the introductory part an overview will be given of Latin American urban studies and the history of urban development in the region. The attention will subsequently shift towards contemporary social movements, socio-spatial segregation, violence, urban policies and urban governance. 

dr. N. Rodríguez Idarraga (co-ordinator)

Social justice at large refers to the fair distribution of wealth, opportunities and privileges within a society, including equal access to these resources. While the law and international human rights frameworks often deem such resources universally available, there are many barriers to them on the ground. This course addresses different struggles for justice in their historical and political context. By drawing on examples from around the world, it provides insight into the development of the key crises of our times (e.g. of climate change, authoritarian returns, and raging inequalities) with an eye on different scales of political movement, stretching from the local to the global. 

D.A. Galdo Gonzalez BSc
dr. JHJ Weegels (co-ordinator)

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This course provides insight into the realities of justice work and its tensions with the law, critically questioning the normative limitations of who and what we struggle for by looking closely at dynamics of conflict, exclusion and criminalization. These processes do not impact all eople equally. Instead, they tend to reproduce geographies of intersecting inequalities. 

dr. D. Brablec (coordinator)
dr. N. Rodríguez Idarraga
dr. G.R. Sibgatullina

The primary goal of this course is to explore the multifaceted critique of liberalism and its various aspects - economic, political, or cultural. How do different societies engage and respond to these challenges? And what are the variety of forces and practices behind the backlash against liberal democracies and different forms of illiberal government? Special attention will be paid to regional and national variations in the roots of illiberal movements and their agendas as well as to different resistance articulations from a wide selection of cases across the world.

dr. F. de Castro (co-ordinator)
V. Carbone

Primarily focusing on the Global South context, students will become acquainted with the core concepts of environmental and climate justice, rooted in distributional, recognition, and participation struggles faced by marginalised rural communities and urban underprivileged populations. Debates on environmental and climate justice will be intricately linked to broader themes of social justice, violence, and the intersectionality of ethnicity, gender, and class. Furthermore, attention will be given to examining political mobilisation strategies against extractive industries and exploring counter-hegemonic perspectives originating from indigenous and peasant communities. Engagement with civil society stakeholders will facilitate enriching discussions, while students will also undertake a practical project focusing on a specific environmental justice case.