Flavia Freidenberg

Political Science; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico

Statement

Throughout my involvement with the Latin American Studies Association (LASA), I have come to deeply value its professionalism and its extraordinary ability to bring together diverse disciplines, perspectives, and methodologies in the study of Latin America. I firmly believe that this pluralism is one of the greatest strengths of our community. While the journey has not always been easy and we have faced numerous challenges, I take great pride in being part of an Association that has consistently fostered constructive dialogue across difference, cultivating an academic community that is plural, critical, and supportive.

My vision is to help strengthen this pluralistic space and ensure that LASA remains a vibrant, rigorous, and inclusive platform for scholars and professionals engaged with Latin America. I am committed to advancing an association that continues to reflect the diversity of approaches and methodologies that enrich research and teaching across the region—while also opening itself to new voices and critical agendas. At a time when pluralism and democracy are under threat across much of the world, I believe LASA must reaffirm its role as a bridge-builder across disciplines, generations, and geographies.

My proposal focuses on four key areas:

Academic Excellence and Inclusive Participation

Consolidate LASA’s International Congresses as rigorous, plural spaces for scholarly exchange, while expanding hybrid activities between congress cycles to broaden participation.
Strengthen LASA’s scholarship program for Latin American members and develop strategies to engage early-career scholars from all regions.
Enhance the institutional role of LASA Sections by fostering stronger links with Congress Program Tracks, updating their digital presence, and promoting collaborative projects and inter-congress events.
Develop targeted outreach to reengage former members who have distanced themselves from the Association.

Diversity, Interdisciplinarity, and Intersectionality

Integrate gender and intersectionality into the governance of the Association, the organization of Congresses, the design of Plenary Sessions, the work of LASA Sections, and the editorial practices of LASA Forum, LARR, and LARC.
Foster interdisciplinary, intergenerational, and interregional collaboration through thematic dossiers in LASA Forum, joint research publications, and new incentives to promote sustained scholarly networks.

Professional Development and Innovation

Educational innovation. Expand and institutionalize mentoring programs, workshops on research funding, graduate school and fellowship applications, publication of dissertations as books, and strategies for publishing in high-impact journals. Create spaces for academic innovation through project fairs and skills-based workshops focused on data use, artificial intelligence, and the responsible use of social media.
Sustainability. Explore long-term sustainability strategies for LASA, including diversified funding models and institutional partnerships.
Defend academic freedom. In a context of growing polarization, democratic backsliding, and shrinking civic space across the region, LASA can serve as a key actor in safeguarding critical thinking, scholarly autonomy, and public debate.

Community Building

Expand LASA’s digital presence through proactive communication strategies (LinkedIn, Instagram, and X Spaces) to increase visibility and promote public engagement with scholarly work.
Promote strategic collaborations with other regional associations (e.g., CEISAL, ALACIP), national academic networks, and international organizations (e.g., IDB, CAF, International IDEA).
Reinvigorate the sense of belonging that has long defined LASA as a space of collegiality and solidarity—a community of peers and friends who come together to share ideas, experiences, and knowledge. Now is the time to renew that spirit through narratives and incentives that strengthen active and sustained participation.

My commitment is to preserve and enrich LASA as the leading forum for rigorous, inclusive, and plural academic engagement with Latin America. I will work to advance both its intellectual excellence and its human and communal dimensions, and to ensure that our association remains a dynamic and welcoming space for all who believe in the transformative power of critical and collective thought.