Welcome to Latin American and Iberian Studies
Latin American and Iberian Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara examines the people and cultures of Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries throughout the world. Such study encompasses not only Spain, Portugal, and Latin America, but also Angola, Mozambique, the Philippines, Macao, and the Chicano and Puerto Rican populations in the U.S. However, most students center their studies on Latin America.
Latin American and Iberian Studies examines the whole culture or civilization, not only throughout the humanities and fine arts, but also throughout the social sciences and history. This allows students to explore a variety of topics – in addition to Spanish and Portuguese language and literature – such as Latin American anthropology, the history of Spain and Portugal, and the political life of Latino communities.
Events
Tertulia with Prof. Kathleen Bruhn on her New Book!
Congratulations to Professor Kathleen Bruhn (Political Science) for her forthcoming book Politics and the Pink Tide: A Comparative Analysis of Protest in Latin America (Notre Dame Press, April 2024). Her
YouTube Video on Nadim Bawalsa’s Book Talk
The LAIS Program, the Center for Middle East Studies, and the History Department welcomed author Nadim Bawalsa to present his book Transnational Palestine: Migration and the Right of Return Before
Welcome, LAIS Graduate Affiliates!
The LAIS Program would like to welcome all new LAIS graduate affiliates from departments across UCSB to a gathering on Tuesday, March 5th at 10:30am in Girvetz 2320. We will
News
Prof. Jaime Alves has Received a Fellowship!
Congratulations to Professor Jaime Alves (Black Studies) who received the Burdick Scholar Fellowship as a part of UC Santa Barbara’s Area Global Initiative for 2024-2025. He is now leading a
Prof. Carlos Morton has Received an Award!
Congratulations to Professor Carlos Morton (Theater and Dance) who was honored with Texas State’s Black and Latino Playwrights Celebration Distinguished Achievement Award of 2023 for his dedication to and sustained
Meet Our New LAIS Faculty Affiliate Prof. Giovanni Batz!
Dr. Giovanni Batz, an Assistant Professor in the Chicano/a Studies department, recently joined the LAIS Program as an affiliated faculty member. He specializes in Maya social movements and resistance, extractivist
Prof. Alicia Boswell has Received a Fellowship!
Congratulations to Professor Alicia Boswell (History of Art and Architecture), who won a one-year fellowship at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington DC, a Harvard-affiliated research institute, in the Pre-Columbian area of
Meet Our New Graduate Student Jennifer Valenzuela!
Jennifer Valenzuela joined the LAIS Master’s Program in Fall 2023. In this interview she shared her motivations to study Latin America, her research interests, and the role her family played
Prof. Antonio Cortijo Ocaña has a New Book!
Congratulations to Professor Antonio Cortijo Ocaña (Spanish and Portuguese) who published Modernidad y Sociedad Civil: La retórica de Boncompagno da Signa y el nacimiento de la sociedad civil as part