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60 Years of Impact: Indiana University’s CLACS and Its Lasting Contributions to Latin America and the Caribbean

Hispanic Community October 2024 PREMIUM

The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) at Indiana University plays a central role in interdisciplinary education and research on Latin America and the Caribbean. As part of the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, CLACS promotes global engagement and offers diverse academic programs, including language courses and graduate degrees.

The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), established in 1963 as the Latin American Studies Program (LASP), plays a key role within the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies (HLS) at Indiana University. HLS is a prominent center for studying global languages, cultures, and international relations, equipping students to embrace diverse viewpoints and become global citizens poised to make a meaningful difference. The school’s curriculum tackles pressing global issues, including conflict, climate change, and the erosion of democracy. As a leader in area studies and international affairs, HLS promotes impactful global engagement. In 2022, it secured $16.3 million from the Department of Education’s Title VI program, the highest amount awarded to any U.S. institution.

As a Title VI recipient, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) is recognized as a National Resource Center, enabling it to provide Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) awards. Over the past 60 years, CLACS has cultivated a thriving multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarly community dedicated to studying Latin America and the Caribbean. With a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, CLACS brings together affiliate faculty from diverse cultural, national, and linguistic backgrounds. This diversity fosters rich and dynamic debates on the region’s global connections, contributing to a deeper understanding of its impact on world affairs.

CLACS offers interdisciplinary academic programs, including Quechua, Maya, and Haitian Creole courses. Quechua is taught via distance learning through the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) with the University of Michigan. CLACS also collaborates with the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, one of the few in the U.S. offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in Portuguese. This long-established program is among the most respected in the country.

At the graduate level, CLACS offers a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree, providing a foundation for students pursuing doctorates or careers in government, private business, or non-profit sectors. The program is flexible, allowing students to focus on themes such as economic development, policy, or environmental studies. CLACS also offers six joint professional degrees integrating humanities, social sciences, and language training, preparing students for applied work. In addition, students pursuing a Ph.D. Minor or Certificate can tailor their study plan, drawing from the expertise of CLACS-affiliated faculty.

CLACS also provides a 4+1 B.A./M.A. pathway, enabling students to work toward a master’s degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies while completing their undergraduate studies. This program is designed for students seeking to deepen their intellectual and professional expertise in the region. CLACS offers several funding opportunities for current M.A. and Ph.D. students with a focus on Latin America.

Several key initiatives showcase CLACS’s interdisciplinary approach. The Brazilian Studies Program, launched in 2004, fosters collaboration among faculty and students interested in Brazil. It works closely with the Portuguese Program and highlights Brazilian literature and cultural events. The Cuban Initiative, launched after the U.S.-Cuba thaw in 2014, has led to multiple Indiana University delegations to Cuba, Cuban speakers at IU, and partnerships with Cuban institutions, including the Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas (UCLV). Three faculty-led study abroad programs currently take IU students to Cuba, organized through the Kelley School of Business, the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), and the College of Arts and Sciences.

CLACS is also home to the Archivo Mesoamericano, a digital archive of annotated video materials developed in collaboration with institutions in Mexico, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Covering footage from 1974 to 2007, it focuses on human rights, political violence, and Indigenous languages such as Zapotec, Nahuatl, and Tzeltal. Funded by two U.S. Department of Education TICFIA grants, the project, originally known as CAMVA and later CLAMA, continues under the name Archivo Mesoamericano.

The Minority Languages and Cultures Project (MLCP), created in 2002, brings together scholars working on the revitalization of subordinate languages in Latin America and the documentation of associated cultures. MLCP has been instrumental in CLACS’s recent Title VI grants, organizing conferences, lectures, and working groups. It has also supported courses in Quechua, Maya, and Haitian Creole, less commonly taught languages in the U.S.

Since 2019, the Puerto Rico Critical Literacy (PRCL) Project, a collaboration between Indiana University and the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamon (UPRB), has focused on developing literacy skills using Latin American and Caribbean children’s literature. Despite challenges such as earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic, the project adapted by offering webinars on “Teaching in Time of Crisis” and children’s literature, which reached hundreds of participants online.

CLACS supports undergraduate study abroad opportunities through the IU Office of Overseas Study, offering research, training, and language study programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. These experiences are divided into two categories: short-term programs that include trips of 1-3 weeks with an in-class component, and semester- or summer-long study abroad programs at Latin American and Caribbean universities.

CLACS also fosters international exchange through the IU Global Mexico Gateway, in partnership with prestigious Latin American institutions such as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the Brazilian Academy of Letters. These exchanges, alongside CLACS’s extensive study abroad offerings, solidify the center’s global impact.

Finally, CLACS is proud to sponsor the first Conference on Global Indigenous Studies from Multiple Perspectives (CGIS 2024), hosted by the Indiana University Global Indigenous Studies Network (GISN), the Ninth Quechua Alliance at Indiana University, and the Third World Conference on Transformative Education in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

In conclusion, CLACS remains at the forefront of Latin American and Caribbean studies, contributing to academic excellence and fostering global understanding. Through its interdisciplinary programs, initiatives, and international collaborations, CLACS continues to be a leading force in the study of this diverse and dynamic region.

About the author

Serafín M. Coronel-Molina is a Full Professor of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education at Indiana University, Director of CLACS, and Head Coordinator of the Global Indigenous Studies Network within the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University. 

 

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