Center for Latin American Studies

Tikal, Guatemala

The Center for Latin American Studies hosts sponsored research initiatives on Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. CLAS also hosts on-going faculty research on Mexico and Cuba.

Brazil

The Brazilian Studies Program (BSP) of the Center for Latin American Studies was established in the fall of 2000, with support from Motorola, Alcoa, and the Coca Cola Foundation. BSP aims to promote greater understanding in the United States of Brazil's history, society, politics, culture, economy, and ecology, as well as to strengthen the ties between the United States and Brazil. In that sense, the program has become a gathering place for Brazilians, North Americans, and others who seek to shape the debate and explore the questions relevant to Brazil's unique position in this ever-growing age of globalization. For more information about BSP, please visit the program's website.

Colombia

The Colombia Program of the Center for Latin American Studies operated between 1998 and March 2008 with sponsorship from the US Agency for International Development. 

Venezuela

CLAS has received a generous endowment from Patricia and Gustavo Cisneros to fund public programs and scholarly exchange on topics relating to Venezuela. Thus far, this endowment funding has allowed CLAS to fund research trips to Venezuela for Georgetown faculty and students, as well as provide assistance to Georgetown student organizations that have held activities related to Venezuela. These activities have included presentations by Venezuelan government officials such as Venezuelan Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, as well as academics and other representatives of Venezuelan cultural, political, social and economic life. The Venezuela Program regularly hosts events and lectures on campus and also provides funding to bring leading experts on Venezuela to Georgetown as visiting professors. The most recent visiting professor sponsored by the Venezuela Program was Dr. Julia Buxton, of Bradford University, United Kingdom, who taught two Latin American Studies courses in spring of 2007.

Mexico

Since 1996 Professor John Bailey has studied and published on issues of democratic governability, public security, and crime and corruption in Mexico. Through the Mexico Project, Professor Bailey edited the book Police Reform and Public Security in the Americas, published in 2005 by the University of Pittsburgh.

Cuba

The Cuba XXI project of the Center for Latin American Studies is a faculty research initiative headed by Professor Eusebio Mujal-Leon. Cuba XXI also hosts occasional events about contemporary Cuban politics and society.