Open Society Research Platform

Call for Abstracts: Latin American Societies Today—Open, Multicultural, Decolonial, ¿Qué?

Open Society Research Platform seeks abstracts for a conference at Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia, on Friday, 27 January 2023.

Though their national histories predate those of more modern states such as Italy and Germany, Latin American countries have never known even the illusion of homogeneity. Countries in Latin America have long been of interest to social scientists and philosophers as divisions, crises, and incommensurabilities have often led to conflicts and endemically unstable formations that Stuart Hall might have described as "unstructured in dominance."  The turbulent history of the region, its vibrant political movements, its experiments with both authoritarian and democratic forms of government, and its strongly developed tradition of anti-colonialism provide fertile ground for moral, social, and political reflections. A thriving academic literature on "open society" and related topics in the Latin American context has emerged over the past decades. 

This in-person conference, co-organized by the Universidad de los Andes and the Open Society Research Platform, convenes scholars, activists, and other experts to ponder questions of theoretical and practical relevance to Latin America. Attendees will discuss the possibilities of creating more just and democratic relations for meaningful and peaceful co-existence among and within the different communities and individuals for whom the region is home. 

OSRP seeks contributions related to the broad themes of openness, multiculturalism, and decolonialism in a Latin American context. Potential topics of interest include:
Human rights
Liberalism and its critics
Legacies of colonialism
Social (in)equality and (in)justice
Practices of in- and exclusion
Identity politics 
The role of technology
Higher Education
Freedom of Expression
Critical Analyses of the Idea of Open Society and its Contemporary Relevance

Submissions from diverse disciplines and theoretical backgrounds are welcome, as are empirical, theoretical, and normative approaches. 

Selected participants will have their expenses for the conference paid by OSRP.

Scholars should submit abstracts of 250-300 words, in English or Spanish, with a working title and a short biography to [email protected] and [email protected].

Deadline to submit is January 3

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Cross Reference: Call for Proposals, Call for Submissions, Conference,Opportunities,Open Society Research Platform