Latin American studies - Scholarly Networks and Publications

Professional Associations and Academic Journals in Latin American Studies This section introduces you to the major scholarly organizations and journals that define the field of Latin American Studies. Understanding these institutions is important because they shape how knowledge about the region is produced, shared, and validated by the academic community. Professional Associations The Latin American Studies Association (LASA), founded in 1966 in the United States, is the largest professional organization for scholars working on Latin America and the Caribbean. LASA serves as the central hub for the discipline, organizing annual conferences where researchers present their work, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration, and publishing one of the field's most important journals (discussed below). When scholars refer to the "mainstream" or "established" work in Latin American Studies, they're often referring to research that has passed through LASA networks and publications. <extrainfo> The Canadian Association for Latin American and Caribbean Studies was founded in 1969 to serve a similar scholarly networking function in Canada. The Society for Latin American Studies in the United Kingdom was established in 1964, playing an equivalent role in the UK academic context. These regional associations reflect how Latin American Studies developed as an international scholarly field across multiple English-speaking countries. </extrainfo> Academic Journals Academic journals are where scholarly research gets published and enters the permanent record of knowledge. In Latin American Studies, different journals have different focuses and traditions, so knowing the landscape helps you understand what types of research are happening in different subfields. Major Interdisciplinary Journals The Americas, established in 1944, is one of the oldest and most respected journals in the field. It publishes research across all disciplines—history, literature, political science, anthropology, and more—making it a good place to find broad, interdisciplinary perspectives on Latin American topics. The Latin American Research Review, published by LASA since its founding, is similarly interdisciplinary and represents the mainstream of academic Latin American Studies. Because it's the official journal of the major professional association, articles published here are considered particularly significant contributions to the field. Latin American Perspectives, established in 1974, also takes a broad interdisciplinary approach but with a particular emphasis on understanding Latin America through critical and structural perspectives. This journal has historically been important for scholarship examining power structures and social inequalities in the region. Specialized Journals The field also has specialized journals focusing on particular disciplines. The Hispanic American Historical Review, founded in 1918, is the leading journal for historical research on Latin America. <extrainfo>Latin American Politics and Society, founded in 1959, focuses specifically on political developments and social movements, while the Journal of Politics in Latin America concentrates on comparative politics and policy questions.</extrainfo> <extrainfo> The Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies, established in 1996, is a more recent addition to the field, specializing in cultural production, literary criticism, and cultural theory related to Latin America. </extrainfo>