Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS)

The Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program examines the components of Latin American and Caribbean societies that arguably serve as the basis of a common identity as well as those that reveal diversity within the Americas. The interdisciplinary curriculum combines coursework in the fields of art history, business, economics, history, politics, languages and literature, and sociology and anthropology in an effort to demonstrate how the region has been shaped by the meeting of American Indian, African, European, and other peoples.

Students begin with a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of the region and work towards interdisciplinary synthesis and analysis. In addition to standing coursework on campus, the program stresses the importance of experiential learning through opportunities provided by study abroad, internships, service-learning, and individual research. The program also engenders a lively research community on campus and hosts colloquia, conferences, speakers, films, and related activities in the Casa Hispánica. Students who complete the program are well prepared to interpret contemporary issues related to the region, and they possess expertise suited for careers in health professions, education, social work, governmental organizations, specialized non-profit organizations, international commerce, journalism, and law, as well as graduate work in Latin American Studies and related disciplines.

More than an area studies about a singular region, the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program explores the Americas in the broader sense. To understand today’s Western Hemisphere students must make interdisciplinary connections that transcend political borders. From Canada to Chile and Bermuda to Brazil, our curriculum focuses on the unique experiences that define the Americas.

The Program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies offers a minor and complements several majors in a meaningful way, including those in Spanish, history, politics, sociology and anthropology, and economics, among others. Students who complete the minor gain the background necessary for careers in teaching, bilingual education, social work, government or international organizations, business, journalism, and specialized nonprofit organizations, and/or for graduate work in Latin American Studies and related disciplines.

Program Head: Mónica B. Botta

Core Faculty

First date is the year in which the faculty member began service as regular faculty at the University. Second date is the year of appointment to the present rank.

Jeffrey C. Barnett, Ph.D.—(1989)-2007
S. Blount Mason Jr. Professor of Romance Languages
Ph.D., University of Kentucky

Mónica Beatriz Botta, Ph.D.—(2006)-2012
Associate Professor of Romance Languages
Ph.D., University of Connecticut

Jonathan Eastwood, Ph.D.—(2006)-2010
Laurent Boetsch Term Professor of Sociology
Ph.D., Boston University

Robert Matthew Gildner, Ph.D.—(2012)-2012
Assistant Professor of History
Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin

Andrea Lepage, Ph.D.—(2008)-2014
Associate Professor of Art History
Ph.D., Brown University

Ellen C. Mayock, Ph.D.—(1997)-2008
Ernest Williams II Professor of Romance Languages
Ph.D., University of Texas

Seth R. Michelson, Ph.D.—(2014)-2020
Associate Professor of Spanish
Ph.D., University of Southern California

Marcos Emilio Pérez, Ph.D.—(2018)-2018
Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology
Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin

Zoila Ponce de Leon, Ph.D.—(2018)-2018
Assistant Professor of Politics
Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Courses relevant to the Program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies are as follows:

The following courses may also meet program requirements, when the topic is appropriate: