Area Studies

WE WELCOME ALL PANEL AND PAPER PROPOSALS ON AREA STUDIES. BELOW ARE SOME SPECIFIC IDEAS FROM THE SECTION CHAIRS. Development in Latin America and the Caribbean: diverging paths, alternative visions Section abstract Latin America and the Caribbean have experienced multiple transformations and ruptures in the last few decades. Amidst a global context of economic turmoil, particularly after the financial crises of 2008-2009, the region appears to have achieved diverging results. Experiencing an economic comeback from the financial crises that hit many countries in the region at the turn of the century, many Latin American nations have seen a period of economic expansion, poverty and inequality reduction, the strengthening of regional organizations and the recovery of political projects of integration that seemed stagnated just a few years ago. Further, the Latin American 'Left Turn' has come accompanied by the consolidation of political projects at the national level and the resurgence of social movements, particularly those articulated around indigenous identities and rural areas. Yet, the 'advances' exhibited by the region at the macro level, have come together with a sharp increase in environmental conflicts, the consolidation of a development model based on the extraction of primary resources and raw materials as well as, particularly in the last few years a slow down of the economic growth rates, and a decline on the progress on social indicators. The coexistence of these diverging outcomes invites us to rethink the social and political consequences of these changes. What theories help us understand the realities experienced by/in the region? Which actors / institutions have been affected by the policies promoted in the last decades and how? To what extent do these changes invite to re-think the role of the region in the (re)production of epistemic, social, economic and political global orders? This section calls for papers that address these contrasts and help us understand the diverging pathways and realities within the region. We encourage papers using both theoretical and empirical lenses to discuss the Latin American context. We welcome comparative analyses, as well as case studies and regional-level discussions, focusing on development studies, critical studies, political institutions, social movements, political economy, public policy, electoral studies, political ecology, anthropology and international relations. Panels We would like to request four panels, but we are open to receive more panel proposals. Panel 1 - Social policy, welfare and well-being in Latin America and the Caribbean This panel aims to present papers that examine the relationship between the development of social policies and the diverse range of welfare outcomes and well-being in the region. Papers may take into account these and other relevant elements of welfare studies: welfare regimes, welfare policies, economic and political explanatory variables/theories, role of actors/institutions (political parties, government, social movements, labour unions), etc. Panel 2 - Environment, extractivism and social conflicts This panel invites papers that explore the different dimensions and scales of socio-environmental conflicts. It welcomes papers that examine the evolving tensions and contradictions between national policies promoting different visions of development, between international environmental agreements and trade policies as well as the coalitions that bring together different groups under the “environmentalist” banner. Panel 3 - Plurality and self-defined development Different countries have made important efforts to give a voice to traditionally excluded minorities - such as indigenous peoples - and this panel seeks to explore the effectiveness of such policies. The panel also welcomes papers on the experiences of other minorities - such as LGBT - in finding a place in plural development projects. Panel 4 - Re-thinking development from Latin America Contemporary challenges associated with the intensifying multidimensional globalization processes have triggered the emergence of novel views about development. These range between sharply contrasting poles: on the one, development is desperately pursued as the ultimate socio-political goal; and, on the other, it is questioned as a failed project rooted in Eurocentric premises. This panel aims at reflecting on the place of Latin America in global debates about development, seeking to identify, connect, compare and contrast diverse views and approaches, both through theoretical reflection and relevant empirical experiences. Bio of section chair and co-chairs Section Chair: Dr. María Mancilla García Dr. Mancilla García received her PhD from the University of Oxford in 2014 where she studied Development Studies. Her thesis dealt with the multiscalar management of pollution in Lake Titicaca. Since then she has worked on mining conflicts in Peru and currently holds a post-doctoral position at the Stockholm Resilience Centre where she investigates the reasons underpinning coalition formation and sustainability in Water Councils in Peru and Brazil. She is a member of the editorial board of alternautas.net. Her areas of interest include environmental public policies and institutions in Latin America, paradigms of public policy, indigenous policies and environmental conflicts. Email: m.mancillagarcia@qeh.oxon.org Section Co-Chairs: Ana Estefanía Carballo and Gibrán Cruz Martínez Dr. Cruz Martínez received his PhD in Political Science from the ‘Universidad Complutense de Madrid’ in 2015. His thesis examined the emerging welfare states and poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean. Currently, he is a Research Associate at the Chilean Institute of Municipal Studies. His areas of interest include welfare state development, multidimensional poverty, welfare relations and the allocation of social risks at marginalized communities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Ana Estefanía Carballo is a final-year PhD candidate at the Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster. Her thesis is focused on an analysis of the ethical challenges for development thinking that emerge from Latin American critical traditions, analysing both historical and contemporary sources. A founding member of Alternautas.net, she is also part of its Editorial Board. Her interests focus on Latin American development thinking, the interplay between indigenous epistemologies, human and environmental development ethics and social movements and environmental conflicts in Latin America.