ABOUT US
LASA Bolivia
A Section of the Latin American Studies Association
OUR HISTORY
The LASA Bolivia Section was formed in response to the interest expressed by nearly one hundred Bolivianist members of the Association, who demonstrated their commitment to the creation and long-term sustainability of a section dedicated exclusively to Bolivia. Accordingly, the LASA Bolivia Section was established in 2010 with the goal of expanding interactions and deepening intellectual and cultural work, as well as strengthening scholarly debate and promoting greater knowledge and understanding of Bolivia, both within and beyond LASA. From the outset, it was understood that the existence of a section dedicated to Bolivia would help overcome thematic and disciplinary fragmentation, enhancing the quality of interdisciplinary dialogue among LASA members and fostering close collaboration with Bolivianists in other academic spaces, particularly in Latin America and Europe.
OUR MISSION
The Bolivia Section, in close collaboration with other associations and centers dedicated to Bolivian studies, aims to deepen and expand knowledge and communication among professionals, students, leaders, and communicators in different disciplines and public venues with regard to political, economic, social and cultural processes pertinent to Bolivia and its peoples, and their relations with other countries and people around the world.
OUR GOALS:
1. Create a resource archive to support research on Bolivia.
2. Strengthen ties with educational institutions in Bolivia, with particular emphasis on expanding the reach of the Ben Kohl Fund.
3. Contribute to the sustainability of the Ben Kohl Fund.
4. Share calls for papers, events, and academic opportunities through this website and a periodic electronic newsletter.
5. Organize sessions and panels at LASA congresses, as well as academic activities outside LASA, promoting interdisciplinary and intersectional collaboration.
More about the Ben Kohl scholarship…
“[I]n a country where private scholarships at the university level are almost nonexistent, in many cases we found that the offer of money with no strings attached generated initial suspicion rather than enthusiasm among students; but once they had a look at the Bolivia Section and LASA’s website (in Spanish), these fears diminished. After a false start or two, we finally got underway in 2017” (Linda Farthing 2022)
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