On January 19th, the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies (CLLAS) hosted its first faculty roundtable event, featuring five new UO faculty members who specialize in Latino/a and Latin American studies. The event was held in the EMU Lease Crutcher Lewis Room and was an opportunity for these scholars to share their research and disciplinary focuses with the UO Community.
The panelists included Adriana Miramontes Olivas, Curator of Academic Programs and Latin American & Caribbean Art at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art; Jesús Ramos-Kittrell, Assistant Professor of Musicology at the School of Music and Dance; Miguel Gualdrón Ramírez, Assistant Professor of Philosophy; Nathalia Hernández-Vidal, Assistant Professor of Sociology; and Diego Cortés, Assistant Professor of Media Studies at the School of Journalism and Communication.
Diego Cortés discussed his research on media representation in Colombia and the interactions between evangelicals and indigenous cultures in Latin America. He is currently working on a book project that explores the consequences of evangelical interactions within indigenous communities in Colombia and Bolivia.
Adriana Miramontes Olivias shared details about an upcoming art exhibit that will focus on the events that transpired within the global south from the 1930s onwards, including the ambiguous sense of loss surrounding disappearances and dictatorships. The exhibit, titled “Necroarchivos de las Americas: An Unrelenting Search for Justice,” will feature works by Latin American artists from Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, US, Mexico, and Guatemala. This exhibit will open at JSMA on June 15th and run through December 8th.
Nathalia Hernández-Vidal discussed her research on how people in Colombia organize to resist corporate food regimes and how resistance can strengthen communities. She also explores how indigenous communities near the Amazon are resisting carbon-based corporations that are cutting down the environment.
Jesús Ramos-Kittrell talked about his research on the displacement and disappearance of history and music and how it impacts current events. He is also interested in exploring how activism can be hindered through identity politics and how government tactics can reinforce disparities and create discord.
Miguel Gualdrón Ramírez shared his research on decolonized literature from Latin America and how it challenges the borders of thought. He is also working on a book project that examines how the aesthetics of colonization can impact language, art, and beauty and the importance of breaking away from such aesthetics.
Overall, the faculty roundtable event was a great success, and provided a platform for these scholars to share their research and insights, highlighting the diversity and depth of Latinx studies at the University of Oregon.
Missed the event? No worries! You can still watch it below.