LASPP Past Conferences

Past Conferences

2021-22 | 2020-2021  |  2018-2019  |   2017-2018  |  2016-2017  |  2014-2015  |  2013-2014  |  2012-2013  |  2011-2012  |  2010-2011

 2009-2010 | 2008-2009  |  2007-2008  |  2006-2007  |  2005-2006  |  2004-2005  |  2003-2004

 

 2021-2022 Conference

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at the University of Pittsburgh welcomed faculty and students to the 25th Latin American Social and Public Policy (LASPP) Conference on April 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2022. At the conference, researchers presented scholarly work related to social and public policy in Latin America.
 
Our team is focused on assuring a high-quality and open environment for the exchange of ideas and the improvement of works in progress. Following the multidisciplinary tradition of CLAS, we are interested in facilitating dialogue, theoretical perspectives, and methodologies across disciplines. In that spirit, we encourage the organization of panels around problems, rather than disciplines, and welcome submissions from the social sciences, arts, humanities, and cultural studies. We are particularly—but not exclusively—interested in the discussion of policy design, implementation, and impact in a wide array of areas, including:

Economic development; inequality and social inclusion; democratic governance and institutional change; human rights; health; education; LGBTQ and gender studies; ethnicity; race studies; environmental studies; urban development; violence and crime; conflict resolution; social movements and political parties; technological innovation; migration; political behavior; Latinx studies; elites; public administration and corruption; sustainability; innovation; and transparency.

 


 2020-2021 Conference

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at the University of Pittsburgh welcomes faculty and students to the 24th Latin American Social and Public Policy (LASPP) Conference on March 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2021. At the conference, researchers can present scholarly work related to social and public policy in Latin America.
 
Our team is focused on assuring a high-quality and open environment for the exchange of ideas and the improvement of works in progress. Following the multidisciplinary tradition of CLAS, we are interested in facilitating dialogue, theoretical perspectives, and methodologies across disciplines. In that spirit, we encourage the organization of panels around problems, rather than disciplines, and welcome submissions from the social sciences, arts, humanities, and cultural studies. We are particularly—but not exclusively—interested in the discussion of policy design, implementation, and impact in a wide array of areas, including:
 
Economic development; inequality and social inclusion; democratic governance and institutional change; human rights; health; education; LGBTQ and gender studies; ethnicity; race studies; environmental studies; urban development; violence and crime; conflict resolution; social movements and political parties; technological innovation; migration; political behavior; Latinx studies; elites; public administration and corruption; sustainability; innovation; and transparency.
 

2018-2019 Conference

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at the University of Pittsburgh welcomes faculty and students to the 23rd Latin American Social and Public Policy (LASPP) Conference. At the conference, researchers can present their scholarly work related to social and public policy in Latin America.

Our team is focused on assuring a high-quality and open environment for the exchange of ideas and the improvement of works in progress. Following the multidisciplinary tradition of CLAS, we are interested in facilitating dialogue across disciplines, theoretical perspectives, and methodologies. In that spirit, we encourage the organization of panels around problems, rather than disciplines, and welcome submissions from the social sciences, arts, humanities, and cultural studies. We are particularly—but not exclusively—interested in the discussion of policy design, implementation, and impact in the following areas:

Economic development, inequality and social inclusion, democratic governance and institutional change, human rights, health, education, LGBTQ and gender studies, ethnicity, race studies, ecocriticism, urban development, violence and crime, conflict resolution, social movements and political parties, technological innovation, political behavior, Latinx politics, elites, public administration, and corruption and transparency.


2017-2018 Conference

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at the University of Pittsburgh welcomes faculty and students to the 22nd Latin American Social and Public Policy (LASPP) Conference. It is a student-organized event where researchers can present their scholarly work involving social and public policy in Latin America.

Social Issues and Public Policy: Economic development, health care, education, sustainability, climate change, energy, LGBT and gender studies, urban development, ethnicity, violence and crime, shadow economy, peace and conflict studies, social movements, lobbying and advocacy, policy formulation and implementation, technology, e-democracy, corruption and security.

Political systems and institutions: Democratic challenges, political economy, state building, public opinion, social-military relations, civil society, political parties and movements, political history, legislative studies, judicial studies, electoral systems, parties and party systems, comparative politics, ideology and subnational politics


2016-2017 Conference

This year’s conference opened with a teleconference on “The Future of Colombia’s Peace Agreement” with professors Laura Wills Otero, Juan Carlos Rodriguez and Miguel Garcia from the Department of Political Science at Universidad de los Andes, Colombia.

The two-day event included six discussion panels on: Films, Representation and Humor; Participation, Civil Society and Natural Resources; Democracy and Institutions; Music and Representation; Security and Innovations; and Welfare Reforms. Twenty-three students (including 1 undergraduate) participated, including eight from Pitt. The rest of students came from Ohio State (3), University of North Texas (1), University of Rochester (1), Indiana University Bloomington (1), University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (1), Cleveland State University (1), Pennsylvania State University (1), University of Michigan (1), Syracuse University (1), and Penn State University (1). Two students came from the Instituto de Estudios Peruanos in Peru and one student from UNICAMP in Brazil.

The keynote speech was delivered by Alisha Holland (Princeton University) on her newly released book Forbearance as Redistribution. The politics of Informal Welfare in Latin America.


2014-2015 Conference

The Nineteenth Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on March 21 and 22, 2014. Greg Grandin (Professor of History, New York University) delivered the Fifteenth Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecture on “Who Aint a Slave: Slavery in Fact and Herman Melville's Fiction.”

The Conference featured discussion panels on: Presidents, Elections, and Democracy; Health; Seminar/Field Trip to Argentina; Violence and the State; Institutional Development; Development; Special Presentation: Policy and Planning in Developing Countries; and Democratic Politics and Governance.

For the 19th conference, twenty-eight students from the University of Pittsburgh and six students from other universities (Harvard University, The New School, University of Arizona, University of Florida, University of São Paulo, and Wingate University) presented papers and eight experts led discussions.

The 2014 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows Ignacio Arana Araya (Political Science), Alana DeLoge (Linguistics), Diana Hoyos (Anthropology), Adam Prosk (History), and Katie Watt (Public and International Affairs) with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships). 


2013-2014 Conference

The Eighteenth Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on February 14 and 15, 2013. Kurt Weyland (Lozano Long Professor of Latin American Politics, Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin) delivered the Fourteenth Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecture on “The Study of Latin American Politics: From ‘Leninism’ to ‘Maoism’.”

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conference features presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by university students, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty and local experts. For the 18th conference, twenty-three students from the University of Pittsburgh and one student from the University of Texas at El Paso presented papers and six experts led discussions.

The 2013 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows Nestor Castañeda Angarita (Political Science), Maria Escorcia (Public and International Affairs), Diana Hoyos (Anthropology), Edgar Largaespada (Public and International Affairs), and Katie Watt (Public and International Affairs) with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships). 


2012-2013 Conference

The Seventeenth Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on February 24 and 25, 2012. Janet Ballantyne delivered the Thirteenth Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecture on “Latin America: Where Next?”

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conference features presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by students from the University of Pittsburgh, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty and local experts. For the seventeenth conference, twenty-three students from the University of Pittsburgh four students from other universities (University of Florida, George Washington University, and Indiana University) presented papers and seven experts provided discussion.

The 2012 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows Nestor Castañeda-Angarita (Political Science), Maria Escorcia (Public and International Affairs), Edgar Largaespada (Public and International Affairs), Daniel Munari (Public & International Affairs), and Sofia Vera (Political Science) with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships). The organizers and the Center would like to thank everyone involved in the conference.


2011-2012 Conference

The Sixteenth Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on February 18 and 19, 2011. Carlos Pereira delivered the 

Twelfth Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecture on “The Political Economy of Public Policy in Multiparty Presidential Regimes.”

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conference features presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by students from the University of Pittsburgh, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty and local expert. For the sixteenth conference, twenty-one students from eleven departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh presented papers and eight experts provided discussion.

The 2011 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows Nora Bridges (Anthropology), Alejandra Boza (History), Jorge Enrique Delgado (Education), Chad Dorn (Education), Bruno Hoepers (Political Science), Daniel Munari (Public and International Affairs), Gabriela Nuñez (Communication), Orlando Rivero Valdes (History), Christine Waller (Public and International Affairs), and Yu Xiao (Political Science) with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships).


2010-2011 Conference

The Fifteenth Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on February 19 and 20, 2010. David Gaus delivered the Eleventh Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecture on “Accounting, Assassination and Healthcare Delivery in the Andes.” Aníbal Pérez-Liñán (Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Pittsburgh) delivered the First Faculty Keynote Address on “Democracy and Dictatorship in Latin America: Emergence, Survival and Fall.”

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conference features presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by students from the University of Pittsburgh and other universities, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty. For the fifteenth conference, fifteen students from six departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh and three non-Pitt students (from the University of South Florida and the University of Washington) presented papers and seven University of Pittsburgh faculty members provided discussion.

The 2010 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows Nora Bridges (Anthropology), Alejandra Boza (History), Nestor Castañeda-Angarita (Political Science), Oscar de la Torre (History), Jorge Enrique Delgado (Education), Chad Dorn (Education), Gabriela Núñez (Communication), Laura Macia (Anthropology), Katie Muller (Public and International Affairs), Maria Amalia Pesantes (Anthropology), Orlando Rivero Valdes (History), and Christine Waller (Public and International Affairs) with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships). 


2009-2010 Conference

The Fourteenth Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on February 20 and 21, 2009. Carlos Torres delivered the Tenth Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecture on “Education and Neoliberal Globalization in Latin America.” Jorge Vargas-Cullell (Program Sub-Coordinator, State of the Nation Program on Sustainable Human Development) also made a special presentation on “Democratization in Central America: Risks to Political Stability.”

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conference features presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by graduate students from the University of Pittsburgh and other universities, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty. For the fourteenth conference, twenty-one students from six departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh and three non-Pitt students (from University of Florida, University of Kansas, and San Diego State University) presented papers and seven University of Pittsburgh faculty members provided discussion.

The 2009 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows Alejandra Boza (History), Nestor Castañeda-Angarita (Political Science), Jorge Enrique Delgado (Education), Chad Dorn (Education), Gabriela Núñez (Communication), María Amalia Pesantes (Anthropology), and Katie Warner (Public and International Affairs), with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships). 


2008-2009 Conference

The Thirteenth Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on February 14 and 15, 2008. Diego Rodríguez-Pinzón delivered the keynote address on “Human Rights in the Americas: An International Legal Perspective.”

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conference features presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by graduate students from the University of Pittsburgh and other universities, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty. For the thirteenth conference, eight students from five departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh and six non-Pitt students (from American University, Ohio University, Princeton University, and the University of Texas at Austin) presented papers and seven University of Pittsburgh faculty members provided discussion.

The 2008 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows María José Alvarez (Sociology), Alejandra Boza (History), Oscar de la Torre (History), Jorge Enrique Delgado (Education), Adriana Dobrzycka (Public Health), Yolanda Hernández-Albújar (Sociology), Gabriela Núñez (Communication), Maria Amalia Pesantes (Anthropology), Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Raga (Political Science), and Juan Antonio Rodriguez-Zepeda (Political Science), with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships).


2007-2008 Conference

The Twelfth Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on February 22 and 23, 2007. José C. Moya, the 2007 Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecturer, delivered the keynote address on “Immigration and the Development of Regional Inequalities in the Western Hemisphere.”

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conference features presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by graduate students from the University of Pittsburgh and other universities, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty. For the twelfth conference, 15 students from seven departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh, two Pitt alumni (who traveled from Mexico and Washington, DC), and three non-Pitt students (from Columbia University, the State University of New York, and the University of Texas at Austin) presented papers, and seven faculty members provided discussion.

The 2007 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows Alejandra Boza (History), Jorge Delgado (Education), Yolanda Hernández-Albújar (Sociology), Verónica Lifrieri (Linguistics), Gabriela Núñez (Communication), Oscar de la Torre (History), and Javier Vázquez (Political Science), with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships, CLAS). 


2006-2007 Conference

The Eleventh Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on February 16 and 17, 2006. Teresa Caldeira, the 2006 Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecturer, delivered the keynote address on “Re-Imagining Inequality: Hip-Hop, Periphery, and Spatial Segregation in São Paulo.”

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conference features presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by graduate students from the University of Pittsburgh and other universities, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty. For the eleventh conference, 16 students from seven departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh and seven non-Pitt students (from Arizona State University, Georgetown University/Universidad Nacional de General San Martín, Argentina, the Korean Development Institute School, the University of Chicago, the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison) presented papers and eight Pitt faculty members provided discussion.

The 2006 conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows María José Alvarez (Sociology), Stuart Easterling (History), Verónica Lifrieri (Linguistics), Laura Macia Vergara (Anthropology), Marilia Mochel (Political Science), Gabriela Núñez (Communication), Oscar de la Torre (History), and Javier Vázquez (Political Science), with direction and support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships).


2005-2006 Conference

The Tenth Annual Latin American Social and Public Policy Conference was held on 17 and 18 February 2005. Mitchell A. Seligson, the 2005 Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecturer, delivered the keynote address on “Challenges to Democracy in Latin America.” 

The annual Latin American Social and Public Policy conferences feature presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by graduate students from the University of Pittsburgh and other universities, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty. For the tenth conference, 16 students from six departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh and seven non-Pitt students (from Arizona State University, Florida International University, the Korean Development Institute School, the University of Florida, the University of Michigan, the University of California at San Diego, and West Virginia University) presented papers and six Pittsburgh faculty members provided discussion.

The tenth conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows María José Alvarez Rivadulla (Sociology), Stuart Easterling (History), Luis Jiménez (Political Science), Veronica Lifrieri (Linguistics), German Lodola (Political Science), Laura Macia Vergara (Anthropology), Marilia Mochel (Political Science), and Javier Vázquez (Political Science), with vital support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships).


2004-2005 Conference

The Ninth Annual Student Conference on Latin American Social and Public Policy was held on February 5 and 6, 2004. Susan Eckstein, the 2004 Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecturer, delivered the keynote address at the conference on “Dollarization and Its Discontents: Cuba in the Post-Soviet Era.”

The annual student conferences feature presentations on social and public policy research in Latin America by graduate students from the University of Pittsburgh and other universities, with comments by University of Pittsburgh faculty. For the ninth annual conference, 17 students from seven departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh and five students from the University of Denver, the University of New Mexico, Oxford University, Rutgers University, and Yale University presented papers, and six University of Pittsburgh faculty members provided discussion.

The ninth conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows María José Alvarez Rivadulla (Sociology), Luis Jiménez (Political Science), Veronica Lifrieri (Linguistics), Germán Lodola (Political Science), Hanne Müller (Public and International Affairs), Maria Del Rosario Queirolo (Political Science), Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Raga (Political Science), and Javier Vázquez (Political Science), with vital support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships).


2003-2004 Conference

The Eighth Annual Graduate Student Conference on Latin American Social and Public Policy was held on February 20 and 21, 2003. A major highlight of the event was the 2003 Carmelo Mesa-Lago Distinguished Latin American Social and Public Policy Lecture delivered by Frances Hagopian.  She spoke on “Governmental Performance, Public Perception, and Contemporary Democracy in Latin America.”

For the eighth annual conference, 19 students from five departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh, one Pitt alumnus, five students from Cornell University, and one student from Chapman University in California presented papers, and seven Pittsburgh faculty members served as discussants.

The eighth conference was organized by Latin American Social and Public Policy Fellows María José Alvarez Rivadulla (Sociology), Luis Jiménez (Political Science), Veronica Lifrieri (Linguistics), Germán Lodola (Political Science), Mary Malone (Political Science), Hanne Müller (Public and International Affairs), Francisco Olivares-Polanco (Public and International Affairs), and Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Raga (Political Science), with vital support from Luis Bravo (Coordinator of International Relations and Fellowships).


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