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Impact on Society Versus Impact on Knowledge: Why Latin American Scholars Do Not Participate in Latin American Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2022

Enrique Mu
Affiliation:
Carlow University
Milagros Pereyra-Rojas
Affiliation:
Latin American Studies Association and Case Western Reserve University
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Abstract

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Although Latin America is home to 8 percent of the world's population, only 1.7 percent of scholarly knowledge about Latin America is produced there. The limited voice of Latin American scholars in Latin American studies constitutes the loss of a valuable and unique cultural perspective. To address this issue, we interviewed Latin American studies scholars residing in Latin America as well as those residing in the United States and United Kingdom to reveal how and to what extent these scholars participate in the international academic community. Our findings show that the two groups were markedly different. Latin American scholars identify themselves as agents of change, motivated by a desire to solve problems and fulfill social needs in the region, whereas US/UK-based scholars see themselves mainly as experts in the field, driven by a desire to impact the knowledge about the region.

Resumen

Resumen

Aunque Latinoamérica constituye el 8 por ciento de la población mundial, solo el 1.7 por ciento del conocimiento académico acerca de Latinoamérica se produce en la región. Esta limitada voz de académicos latinoamericanos en los estudios de Latinoamérica constituye la pérdida de una perspectiva cultural única y valiosa. Para investigar este problema, entrevistamos académicos de estudios latinoamericanos residentes en Latinoamérica (LAT) así como en Estados Unidos e Inglaterra (US/UK) para descubrir como y que tan extensamente ellos participan en la comunidad académica internacional. Nuestros resultados sugieren que ambos grupos (LAT y US/UK) son marcadamente diferentes. Los académicos latinoamericanos se identifican a si mismos como agentes de cambio, motivados por un deseo de resolver los problemas y satisfacer las necesidades de la región, mientras que los académicos basados en US/UK se ven a si mismos como expertos en la disciplina, motivados más bien por un deseo de impactar el conocimiento sobre la región.

Type
Research Reports and Notes
Copyright
Copyright © 2015 by the Latin American Studies Association

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