Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies
The Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies (CLACLS) at UMass Amherst is an interdisciplinary space that fosters research, teaching, dialogue, and public engagement related to Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino communities in the United States. The Center brings together faculty, students, and community partners whose work engages these regions and communities in meaningful and diverse ways.
CLACLS promotes collaboration, dialogue, and knowledge exchange across academic and community contexts. We welcome interdisciplinary work and projects that connect scholarship with broader social, cultural, and community-based questions, and we aim to create opportunities for collaboration that are open to and among undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and partners across the University.
The Center is committed to building and sustaining partnerships with Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino communities locally and across the Americas. Through these relationships, CLACLS facilitates teaching, learning, and engagement efforts that respond to shared challenges and contribute to public conversations beyond the University.
CLACLS advances its mission through collaboration among affiliated faculty, students, and staff, as well as through partnerships with academic and community organizations beyond campus. The Center is strongly aligned with the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s for the Common Good Strategic Plan (2024–2034), particularly its commitments to inclusive education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community engagement. Through its programming and initiatives, CLACLS serves as an accessible hub for interdisciplinary collaboration focused on Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino communities in the United States.
Opportunities & Awards
Partnerships
Academic, community, and institutional partnerships that advance CLACLS’s mission locally and across the Americas.
CLACSO
Through CLACLS’s institutional membership with Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO), affiliated faculty and graduate students gain access to a broad international network that supports scholarly exchange and collaboration across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Specifically, the membership provides opportunities to:
- Connect with international research networks and thematic working groups coordinated by CLACSO across the social sciences and related fields.
- Participate in CLACSO-sponsored activities, including calls for participation, conferences, workshops, seminars, and colloquia.
- Explore collaborative research and publication opportunities with scholars and institutions based in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Access CLACSO’s open-access resources, including books, research reports, and other scholarly materials.
The membership does not guarantee funding or automatic participation in projects, but it offers an important platform for faculty and graduate students interested in developing international research connections, collaborative initiatives, and scholarly engagement aligned with CLACSO’s mission.
Learn more about CLACSO.
Five College Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies
CLACLS also participates in the Five College Consortium’s Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies community, which connects faculty, students, and academic programs across Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Through the Five Colleges, students and faculty benefit from cross-campus course offerings, shared programming, lectures, and opportunities for intellectual exchange that strengthen interdisciplinary approaches to Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies. This collaboration enhances access to regional expertise and supports academic and scholarly engagement beyond a single campus.
The Five College structure supports graduate and undergraduate learning, faculty collaboration, and the development of shared initiatives that reflect the Consortium’s commitment to interdisciplinary education and cooperation.
Learn more about The Five College Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies.
Contact
Email: clacls [at] umass [dot] edu (clacls[at]umass[dot]edu)
Social Media:
- Instagram: @umassclacls
- Facebook: UMassCLACLS
Get Involved!
Faculty across disciplines who are interested in affiliating with CLACLS are invited to email clacls [at] umass [dot] edu (clacls[at]umass[dot]edu). Affiliation is simple and begins with a brief expression of interest.
