Background:

After a decade of sustained growth, improved social indicators and poverty reduction during the beginnings of the 21st Century, in more recent years Latin America entered a new phase of low economic growth and political instability. Social discontent and massive mobilizations have risen in almost every country in the region, reaching such a point that some analysts have defined them as the biggest social mobilization in the last twenty years.

Current events have deep structural economic and social roots, as most Latin American countries have experienced financial headwinds followed by political transitions. The center-leftist coalitions that had ruled the continent since the 2000s witnessed the political crisis in the last years, like the Worker´s Party in Brazil and Evo Morales in Bolivia. Argentina, despite an organized political transition in 2015, entered into a severe economic crisis which led to worsening social indicators and resulted in the election of a new government.

However, economic factors by themselves cannot explain the present social instability and commotion. To mention one example, Chile who has undergone continuous economic per capita income growth is experiencing one of the most spectacular social mobilizations since the 1990s. The response of the government was to call for Constitutional reform. However, the crisis is still far from being solved and social manifestations are still going on.

There is no single answer to the question about what is going on in the continent. Nevertheless, it is possible to trace some common characteristics among these recent events and across countries. Understanding the current trends and the meaning of these different social manifestations is fundamental to visualize the present and future of the Latin American continent. This roundtable discussion is looking to stimulate the debate and foster the dialogue among the speakers, scholars and the audience looking to improve the knowledge and critical perception of the present conditions in the region.

Methodology:

The event is mainly based on a roundtable discussion. Each speaker will have 5 to 7 minutes to present their hypothesis and interpretations (4 or 5 speakers). Then, the second part will consist in 45-minute discussion and Q & A.

The roundtable discussion will be conducted in English.

Target audience:

Researchers, scholars and postgraduate students, in order to foster a collaborative dialogue on the present condition in Latin America.

Time: 13:00-15:00PM, December 16^th, 2019.

Venue: Room 209, Think Tank Building, Fudan University.

Chair: Prof. Dr. Wang Longxing, assistant professor, Department of Spanish Language and Literature, Fudan University

Organizers:

Fudan Development Institute & Department of Spanish Language and Literature, Fudan University

How to register (post graduate students and general audience):

Send an email to Santiago Bustelo, Associate Researcher at Asia Pacific Center at Fudan University (santiago.bustelo@gmail.com) to register.

In the case of registration as speaker, please attach a topic as well as an abstract of 300 words.

Application Deadline: Dec. 11th, 2019