Latin American Social Movements, Collective Actions and Democracy

The aim of this session is to discuss central issues in contemporary processes in Latin America, especially acts in defense and attacks against democracy, focusing on social movements and civil groups organized collectively, and their relations with change in the state. The session aims to explore the role of civil groups organized under different political and cultural flags in recent reconfigurations of the regional political landscape. We are interested in analyzing the role of social groups in recent political and economic changes, the process of dedemocratization in various institutions as well as in the process of reviewing the various types of rights that had been conquered. The social and cultural articulations that unite Latin America to the process of transformation will also be discussed. Transnational youth activism and social and cultural articulations that link Latin America with the process of global transformation and global social justice will also be discussed. This session invites communications that establish a dialogue between the types of civilian groups and social movements mentioned above and the issue of forms of power in society and in the state, as well as the struggles for social justice and against all forms of violence.