The Center for Latin American Visual Studies (CLAVIS) and the Institute for Studies on Latin American Art (ISLAA) are pleased to announce the third convening of the ISLAA Forum: Latin American and Latinx Art and Visual Culture Dissertation Workshop, to take place at the University of Texas at Austin on April 4-6, 2024. The two invited scholars for 2024 will be announced shortly.

This workshop is intended to serve doctoral students of modern and contemporary Latin American and Latinx art and visual culture from the nineteenth century to the present day. Full-time students who have advanced to candidacy at an accredited university, and are currently working on a dissertation chapter manuscript, are eligible to apply. Generous support from ISLAA will cover the full cost of round-trip air travel to Austin, lodging, and ground transportation. Meals will also be provided.
 
This 3-day program invites up to 6 doctoral students to develop their dissertation chapter manuscripts with a group of scholars with a variety of geographic, thematic, and methodological interests. In the workshop, students will give brief overviews of their dissertation projects and engage in extended discussion of their manuscript with organizing and invited faculty, offering and receiving constructive commentary toward improving their argumentation and writing. Discussions will emphasize strengthening conceptual and narrative frameworks and potential for interdisciplinary approaches, as well as identifying additional primary sources, relevant literatures, and possible interlocutors. The workshop also includes visits to campus collections—among these are the Blanton Museum of Art, Benson Latin American Library, and Harry Ransom Center—and opportunities to meet with colleagues there. The goal is to support highly original and fully historicized dissertations that directly contribute to a more rigorous, international, and collaborative field.

We are especially interested in hearing from emerging scholars working on Black, Indigenous, feminist, queer, Central American, and Caribbean projects. We also want to hear from scholars from communities historically underrepresented in academia and from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Application Information
To apply please submit the following to clavis.islaa.forumgmail.com<mailto:clavis.islaa.forumgmail.com> by 11:59pm CST, January 7, 2024:

1) A 750-word narrative description of your dissertation project
We understand that expectations for dissertation proposals vary from institution to institution. For the purposes of this program, we are looking for a description of your dissertation, including: title, summary of topic, object(s) of inquiry, hypothesis or overarching argument, primary sources to be consulted, and methodology

2) A 2-page curriculum vitae

3) A 1-page cover sheet with your legal name (and preferred name), department, university, year of doctoral study, date you advanced to candidacy, citizenship, current address, phone, and email address

4) A brief email from your primary dissertation advisor that explains your project’s potential scholarly contribution to your chosen field(s) and confirms that you are currently a doctoral student in good standing at your home university. Letters from advisors should be sent directly to clavis.islaa.forumgmail.com<mailto:clavis.islaa.forumgmail.com>

Questions about the workshop can be directed to Dr. George Flaherty (gflahertyaustin.utexas.edu<mailto:gflahertyaustin.utexas.edu>) and Dr. Adele Nelson (adele.nelsonaustin.utexas.edu<mailto:adele.nelsonaustin.utexas.edu>).

Selection decisions will be communicated to applicants by the end of January 2024.  

Additional Information 
Applications are accepted in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. The primary language of the workshop will be English, however participants are welcome to use the language they are most comfortable with. 

By March 3, 2024, participants will provide a chapter manuscript (please no more than 7,500-12,500 words).

By April 3, 2024, participants will submit image presentations (as a ppt or other compared file) for a 10-minute illustrated overview of their project, to be delivered during the workshop.

Selected participants agree to submit required documents on time and participate in all aspects of the three-day workshop, including the expectation of arrival to Austin by April 3, 2024 and departure no earlier than April 7, 2024.

Should participants wish to stay in Austin for a longer period to conduct research, your travel dates can be adjusted within reasonable expense. However, we cannot provide any additional support for accommodations.

Please note that this year’s forum is focused solely on chapter development and we are not considering dissertation proposals.

We welcome applications from international applicants based at non-U.S. institutions. Please note that while the organizers are more than happy to provide a letter of invitation on institutional letterhead, but UT is unable to assist in obtaining travel visas.