Center for Latin American Studies

Tikal, Guatemala

Welcome to the Center for Latin American Studies! The Center for Latin American Studies was one of the first of its kind in the United States. Its core faculty bring together diverse scholarly interests with a focus on Latin America, and adjunct faculty drawn from the Washington, D.C. area supplement their offerings. The center regularly welcomes visiting scholars from both the United States and Latin America and sponsors many projects and programs, including the Mexico Project, which focuses on bilateral issues such as governance and trade between Mexico and the United States; the Political Database of the Americas (in collaboration with the Organization of American States), which presents a comprehensive collection of documentary and statistical information on the hemisphere; and the Brazilian Studies Program, which augments the center's academic offerings on Brazil and hosts events relevant to Brazil and the Portuguese-speaking world. The center also sponsors summer programs for teachers and publishes occasional working papers as well as a weekly online newsletter.

Georgetown is a world-class university located in the heart of Washington, D.C. The nation's capital and its dynamic international character pervade a Georgetown University education.  Georgetown faculty include a former secretary of state, ambassadors to the United Nations, economists at the World Bank, White House domestic and foreign policy advisors, attorneys in influential law firms, and prominent academics.  CLAS benefits from its close connections with leading international organizations such as the Organization of American States, Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank; strong ties with non-profit organizations such as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Washington Office on Latin America, and the Inter-American Dialogue; and a working relationship with Latin American embassies. The political culture and cosmopolitan population of Washinton and the dynamic community of the metropolitan area touch students' lives in many ways. This environment significantly enhances the blend of theory and practice that lies at the foundation of the School of Foreign Service curriculum.