Mónica Espinosa Arango

Statement

I am deeply honored to be nominated as treasurer of the Latin American Studies Association.  My first experience with LASA began in 2002 as a graduate student.  Since then, I have enjoyed sharing with a diverse and growing community of peers, colleagues, scholarship, and debates.  Serving as a member of the Executive Committee is the opportunity to reciprocate such a rich experience. My current position as Director of Graduate Studies at the College of Social Sciences in the Universidad de Los Andes has allowed me to delve deeply into academic and financial matters and predicaments concerning higher education in Colombia and Latin America.  This experience has taught me a lot about strategic planning, budgetary issues, new income venues and alternative learning and teaching environments in higher education.  Dilemmas and thought decisions are very common amidst challenging economic, social, demographic, and educational contexts not only at national and regional levels but also globally.  Along the years, as a member of LASA, I have seen the exponential constituency growth and the diversity that it brings, especially with the participation of Latin American based scholars and graduate students.  I have also noticed the importance placed on communications and the strengthening of networks beyond LASA congress, although this is always an ongoing effort.  As a scholar based in Latin America, I find important LASA´s decisions regarding new income venues, especially with Latin American Cultural Center located in Pittsburgh and the project of Maestromeetings.  I also highly regard the current quality and standing of the Latin American Research Review and the Latin American Research Commons initiative.  Finally, I commend LASA´s commitment to keeping travel grants and the special projects funding.  I believe this is a key means to preserve inclusion and opportunities within unequal global academic networks; however, I do know this is expensive.  If chosen, I will commit myself to keeping inclusiveness and transparency regarding planning and financial matters as a way to widen LASA´s core mission.  My aim is to contribute to keeping a vibrant, rich, and complex community that weights equally Latin American based scholars, students, activists, and independent researchers.  This is vital in a world in which social and cultural criticism, education, professional networks, public debate, new languages and committed social sciences, camaraderie and wider collaborations are urgent.