Latin American Studies at Leiden University

26/05/2026

From Leiden to Paris 🇫🇷

This week, colleagues, alumni, and researchers connected to the Latin American Studies community at Leiden University will be presenting at Latin American Studies Association International Congress under this year’s theme, “Republic and Revolution”.

Across panels on art, ecology, violence, borders, gender, migration, and decolonial thought, the conversations moving from Universiteit Leiden to Paris reflect the breadth of contemporary Latin American Studies: interdisciplinary, multilingual, historically grounded, and politically engaged.

You can find members of our community in sessions including:

• “Public Safety Under Dispute: Violence, the State, and Social Vulnerability” organised and presented by María Gabriela Palacio Ludeña, with contributions from Timo Peeters and colleagues from Chile. The panel examines violence, organised crime, militarisation, social vulnerability, and state responses across Latin America.

• “The Landscape of Social Policies in Latin America” where María Gabriela Palacio Ludeña will also participate in a workshop on contemporary social policy transformations in the region, presenting the Ecuadorian case in dialogue with broader regional debates on inequality, welfare restructuring, and development.

• “Donde arden los bordes: Revueltas, cuerpos y disidencias de los márgenes en el arte y la literatura contemporáneos de América Latina” where Nanne Timmer participates both as author and discussant across two sessions exploring border aesthetics, q***r and fugitive communities, decolonial dissidence, and literary and artistic revolt from the margins.

• Nanne Timmer also presents “Arte, escritura de los bordes y la revolución de la polilla en Mujeres polilla de Verónica Ge**er”, examining border writing, visuality, irony, and political intervention through the work of the Mexican artist and writer Verónica Ge**er.

• Alan Palacios presents “Tanteando la Frontera: desobediencia sintiente y aesthesis marrón en Abya Yala”, engaging the work of Gloria Anzaldúa, María Lugones, José Muñoz, and La Chola Poblete to think through brown aesthesis, liminality, embodiment, and decolonial sensing.

• “Terra Forms: Earth as Site, Medium, and Critique in Contemporary Caribbean and Latin American Art”
with Stephanie Noach chairing discussions on earth, ecology, embodiment, and artistic resistance and Nanne Timmer participating as moderator.

• “Women, War, and Revolution” with Randal Sheppard presenting and organising conversations on revolutionary histories, gender, and political transformation.

Looking forward to the exchanges, collaborations, and debates that Paris will make possible this week at LASA2026 International Congress.

From Leiden to Paris 🇫🇷 This week, colleagues, alumni, and researchers connected to the Latin American Studies community at Leiden University will be presenting at Latin American Studies Association International Congress under this year’s theme, “Republic and Revolution”. Across panels ...

22/05/2026

Vandaag in het NRC, interview met LAS lecturer Nanne Timmer en LAS alumna Lisa Thunnissen, don't miss it! Universiteit Leiden Faculteit Geesteswetenschappen Interlatina Leiden LeidenGlobal Universiteit Leiden Leiden University Career Services Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS)

12/05/2026

Don't miss the presentations of the final research projects of our researchmasterstudents tomorrow! Marvellous program!

07/05/2026

¿Cómo pensar la crisis global actual desde América Latina?

La próxima semana participaremos en el seminario internacional híbrido Teoría de la Dependencia: relevancia contemporánea y desafíos en la crisis global actual, un espacio de diálogo transatlántico entre América Latina y Europa sobre el capitalismo global, la geopolítica, el imperialismo, las finanzas, las cadenas globales de valor y el desarrollo desigual.

La teoría de la dependencia fue una de las contribuciones intelectuales más importantes provenientes de América Latina para comprender las relaciones globales de poder. Hoy, frente a nuevas tensiones geopolíticas y económicas, muchas de esas preguntas vuelven a ser centrales.

El seminario reúne voces de economía política, sociología, estudios del desarrollo y pensamiento crítico latinoamericano, con participantes de la UNAM, CLACSO, la UBA, King’s College London, la Universidad de Coimbra, la Universidad de Leiden y otras instituciones.

Desde los Países Bajos estaremos siguiendo el seminario colectivamente desde Wijnhaven Campus, Universiteit Leiden, en La Haya.

La participación es gratuita y en formato híbrido.

Más información e inscripciones:
https://lnkd.in/eF_MZ4si

¿Cómo pensar la crisis global actual desde América Latina? La próxima semana participaremos en el seminario internacional híbrido Teoría de la Dependencia: relevancia contemporánea y desafíos en la crisis global actual, un espacio de diálogo transatlántico entre América Latina y Europa so...

15/04/2026

Last Friday was an amazing day for the Latin American Studies programme (Leiden University). In addition to alumni, students, and staff, embassies were also in attendance. We are very grateful for the presence of the ambassadors from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Europe must look […] southward, where the global majority resides. The BRICS countries alone represent almost 50% of the world economy and a quarter of the world trade, it is where the youngest populations lives, with an enormous amount of creative energy, something that is often lacking in the northern part of the world,” stated Kathleen Ferrier in her closing lecture last Friday, 10 April, during the 40th anniversary of Latin American Studies.

We are also deeply touched and inspired by the excellent speeches from our keynote speakers, Valika Smeulders and Kathleen Ferrier. It was heartwarming to hear alumni speak about their life journeys and their memories of the programme. More than 270 people attended the festive event in the conference room at Lipsius to listen to talks about the Latin American region, to share memories and stories about their time as students, and to share their passion and interest in the region.

More info to be found here:

“Europe must look […] southward, where the global majority resides. The BRICS countries alone represent almost 50% of the world economy and a quarter of the world trade, it is where the youngest populations lives, with an enormous amount of creative energy, something that is often lacking in the...

09/04/2026

Tomorrow!!! yesss! you really don't want to miss this :)

40 years ago, in 1986 Leiden University started with Latin American Studies through inserting Brazil and Portuguese in the curriculum and creating TCLA. Today, 2026, we are celebrating these 40 years. Don´t miss this special event with two very special keynote-speakers Valika Smeulders and Kathleen Ferrier who both studied Spanish and Portuguese in the Latin American Studies programme.

Programme*
13.00-13.30 Walk-in with coffee and tea (central hall Lipsius)

Start of the programme in Lipsius 019
13.30-13.45 Opening words by the dean, Prof.dr. Henk te Velde (English); and welcome by dr. Nanne Timmer (Voorzitter BA en MA Latin American Studies/LAS) (in Spanish and Portuguese)
13.45-14.05 “Café”, keynote lecture by Prof.dr. Valika Smeulders, Hoofd Afdeling Geschiedenis, Rijksmuseum, Head History Department Rijksmuseum / Professor Museums & Heritage, Universiteit Groningen (and alumna) (English)
14.05-14.20 “40 jaar Latin American Studies/ Talen en Culturen van Latijns-Amerika: viaje en el tiempo: 1986-2026” door Dr. Adriana Churampi. (Spanish)
14.20-14.30 In memoriam Prof. dr. Raymond Buve, by Dr. Marianne Wiesebron (English)
14.30-15.25 Roundtable discussion: Dr. Paz González in (multilingual) conversation with alumni: (English/ Spanish/ Portuguese/ Dutch):
-Hedwig Hupkes, BA, MA LAS, afstudeerjaar 2008. Senior Project Manager Festivals,
-Arthur J. Swarts, BA LAS, afstudeerjaar 2024, Operations Assistant Movements at the United Nations International Organization for Migration,
-Isabelle Best, BA LAS afstudeerjaar 2021, curator Allard Pierson.
Gerjan Ekenhorst. BA LAS afstudeerjaar 2014, Docent Spaans en docent Nederlands, en
-Eva Verschoor. MA LAS, afstudeerjaar 2018, Port of Rotterdam, Program Manager Critical Materials.

15.25-15.35 Piano intermezzo by Mateo Viscarra (courtesy of the Embassy of the Plurinational State of Bolivia)
15.35-16.05 Coffee and tea with piano music by Mateo Viscarra

16.05-17.00 Panelsession “Latin America in a time of global turbulence: cultural, linguistic and political dynamics”. Dr. Soledad Valdivia in (multilingual) conversation with:

-Prof. Dr. Ed Amann (Modern History Brazil) (English)
-Dr. Tatiana Vargas (Cultural Analysis) (Spanish)
-Dr. Eduardo Alves (Linguistics) (Portuguese)

17.00-17.20 “Duende”, keynote lecture by Kathleen Ferrier, Voorzitter Nederlandse UNESCO Commissie (and alumna) ( Spanish/ English and Portuguese)
17.20-17.30 Festive hand-over of first copy of Je zult geen bloemen dromen, nieuwe stemmen uit Latijns-Amerika, Wereldbibliotheek, 2026. Dr. Nanne Timmer in conversation with Dennis Bus, Subjectlibrarian Latin American and Caribbean at the Leiden University Libraries and alumnus, and Lisa Thunnissen, literary translator and alumna. (Spanish/ English/ Dutch)
17.30-17.35 Closure Dr. Nanne Timmer (Spanish)

17.35-17.40 Moving to the Herta Mohr building for reception and walking dinner
17.45– 21.00 Reception, walking dinner in the Herta Mohrbuilding (Honorary wine courtesy of the Embassies of Chile and Peru), music by alumnus Paul van Nispen, also known as DJ Pablitosss

https://lnkd.in/ezDQGdB2

Tomorrow!!! yesss! you really don't want to miss this :) Programme* 13.00-13.30 Walk-in with coffee and tea (central hall Lipsius) Start of the programme in Lipsius 019 13.30-13.45 Opening words by the dean, Prof.dr. Henk te Velde (English); and welcome by dr. Nanne Timmer (Voorzitter BA en MA Latin...

25/03/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐊𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫!

As we mark 40 years of Latin American Studies at Leiden University, we are proud to welcome Kathleen Ferrier, Chair of the Dutch UNESCO Commission, as a keynote speaker for this special anniversary.

Kathleen Ferrier, born in Suriname, studied Spanish and (Brazilian) Portuguese Language and Literature in Leiden. Her career has taken her across continents, having lived and worked in Chile, Brazil, and Hong Kong. Between 2002 and 2012, she served as a member of the Dutch Parliament for the Christian Democratic Party. Today, she is Chair of the Dutch UNESCO Commission, has published various books and is a specialist in international relations, human rights, diversity and inclusion.

Returning to Leiden as an alumna, Kathleen will join us in celebrating 40 years of Latin American studies with her keynote lecture titled “Duende”. April 10th, don’t miss it!

𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 for the event 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 until April 10, but for the walking dinner only 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 30: https://shorturl.at/cnAqM

Nos vemos en Leiden / Nos vemos em Leiden.

https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/2026/04/celebrating-40-years-of-the-latin-american-studies-program-at-leiden

19/03/2026

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐊𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐚 𝐒𝐦𝐞𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬!

To celebrate 40 years of Latin American Studies at Leiden University, we are delighted to welcome Prof. Valika Smeulders as our keynote speaker. She is Head of the History Department at Rijksmuseum and Professor Museums & Heritage at University of Groningen, specializing in the presentation of the colonial past, museum collections, their social relevance, and provenance research.

For this special occasion, she is returning to Leiden as an alumna of Latin American Studies! From 1988 to 1993 she studied what was then called “Languages and Cultures of Latin America” in Leiden. She later continued her studies in Mexico, earned her PhD from Erasmus University Rotterdam, and was a postdoctoral researcher at KITLV.

We can’t wait to welcome her as a keynote speaker for our celebration of 40 years Latin American studies on April 10th, where she will deliver a talk titled "Café". Don't miss it!

𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵? 𝘉𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 March 30𝘴𝘵: https://shorturl.at/cnAqM

Nos vemos en Leiden / Nos vemos em Leiden.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐊𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐚 𝐒𝐦𝐞𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬! To celebrate 40 years of Latin American Studies at Leiden University, we are deligh...

07/03/2026

Latin American Studies at the open day in Leiden. Amazing team!

27/02/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻: 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟭𝟬!

This year we celebrate 40 years of Latin American Studies at Leiden University, with a special anniversary event on April 10, 2026. The programme has now been finalized and registration is open!

The afternoon features insightful keynote speakers, panel sessions and roundtables with lecturers and alumni, followed by a reception and more. Don’t miss it!

𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 & 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/2026/04/celebrating-40-years-of-the-latin-american-studies-program-at-leiden

Nos vemos en Leiden / Nos vemos em Leiden.