26-27 June 2008

In the first decade of the 21st century, Latin America has turned into a laboratory of social, political and economic transformations that derive from a very painful reality: it is the continent with the greatest inequality in the world. The region is currently at a point in time in which historic opportunities are appearing in terms of economy, politics and the continent's international insertion. However, the possibility also exists that many Latin American countries may also repeat the errors that will reinforce the characteristic weaknesses of the subcontinent; namely, deep-seated inequality, unstable growth and geopolitical marginality. At the same time, the democratic and representative institutions - which appear to have become consolidated over the past two decades - are showing a serious shortfall in terms of effectively guaranteeing the civil, social and economic rights of the population, a situation that hits the weakest of society hardest.

Given this panorama - which features opportunities as well as threats - a reflection needs to be carried out on the lessons that have been learned during the past few years in the region with respect to how to tackle the issue of social cohesion on a threefold dimension: economic growth, democratic policy and international insertion within the framework of the "new" "South-South" dynamics.

Director: Salvador Martí, permanent Lecturer in Political Science (University of Salamanca)

Coordinator: Eleonora Betancur, sociologist (University of Salamanca)

Solicitud de becas de matrícula: enviar un email a americalatina@cidob.org

For more information: Tel. 933 017 555 - CUIMPB - info@cuimpb.cat