UConn’s El Instituto (Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean and Latin American Studies)
Merging Latina/o and Latin American studies courses and faculty, El Instituto supports the development of hemispheric and Latina/o-centered perspectives on critical ethnic studies and world area studies.
Apply now to the joint MPP or MPA, and Latina/o American Studies MA program
Gain both policy analysis or administrative skills and in-depth international/intercultural knowledge through this dual MA program of study. Through the joint Master’s degree program, complete El Instituto’s MA in Latina/o and Latin American Studies while also earning a second Master’s in either Public Administration or Public Policy.
Undergraduate major/minor in Latina/o and Latin American Studies
Our undergraduate majors and minors learn research methods and find real-world applications for their skills.
Recent News
Rights of Immigrants Resources
We are providing some valuable resources about immigration rights. Check out the flyer and websites for resources on immigration and your rights. 1. Know Your Rights Under the U.S. Constitution – No Matter Who Is President 2. AFT – Immigration Resources
[Read More]Alumni contributes to Puerto Rico’s research news outlet
Luis Palomino is a graduate of the MA program at El Instituto and is currently an economic analyst with the UConn Puerto Rican Studies Initiative. The Centro, the Periodismo Investigativo, is the most important research news outlet in Puerto Rico, and it focuses on doing in-depth work on complex topics. In the following site, you can […]
[Read More]UConn Faculty Updates
Two colleagues in El Instituto were recently included in two news articles. Our new colleague Anna-Michelle McSorley was recently profiled in UConn Today, “From Policy to Action: Anna-Michelle McSorley Focuses on Health Equity for Latinos.” which details her work on addressing health inequities in relation to federal and local policies. To read the article visit […]
[Read More]Upcoming Events
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Feb
25
Networking Night for International Students 4:00pm
Networking Night for International Students
Tuesday, February 25th, 2025
04:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Center for International Students & Scholar Services (CISS)
Do you want to practice your networking skills and make a few contacts in the process. Please come to our in-person workshop. This is a great opportunity for students to learn:
- how to network
- work on an elevator pitch
- ask questions about networking etiquette and much more…
There will be information on career opportunities and employment services. Make connections and expand your professional network with us!
This is an interactive session - feel free to bring your technology. Consider trying out your business casual look. Food and beverages will be provided!
Sponsored by The Center for International Students & Scholars (CISS), the Center for Career Development, and the School of Business Career Development Office.
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Feb
27
FILM SCREENING: The Eternal Night + Q & A with director & screenwriter 2:00pm
FILM SCREENING: The Eternal Night + Q & A with director & screenwriter
Thursday, February 27th, 2025
02:00 PM
Student Union
FILM SCREENING: The Eternal Night (La Noche Eterna) + Q&A with Coco Fusco (director) and Enrique del Risco (screenwriter)
The Eternal Night-La noche eterna is the story of three young Cuban men who were condemned for their beliefs and their creations. It is about the power of the imagination to transcend circumstance.Sponsors: John N. Plank Cuban Lecture Series, Department of Literatures, Cultures and Languages (Spanish)
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Mar
1
El Instituto’s Graduate Research Forum 9:45am
El Instituto’s Graduate Research Forum
Saturday, March 1st, 2025
09:45 AM - 02:15 PM
Ryan Building
“ELIN’s Graduate Research Forum: Interdisciplinary Perspectives from Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies”
Saturday, March 1, 2025
9:45am-2:15pm
Ryan Building, Room 204
Join El Instituto’s Graduate Research Forum, where graduate students will share and defend their research! This research forum showcases new interdisciplinary collaboration and academic exchange across multiple departments: valuable feedback and networking opportunities with peers and faculty.Schedule Overview:
- 3 Sessions with presentations along with Q&A
- Breaks in between sessions
- Lunch provided to conclude event
Please enter through El Instituto’s main entrance on the side of the building passing the (InCHIP) Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy. You can find information for directions in El Instituto’s website.
There is limited space, RSVP today!
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Mar
11
Central America in the Crosshairs of War 3:30pm
Central America in the Crosshairs of War
Tuesday, March 11th, 2025
03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
The Dodd Center for Human Rights
Join us for a book talk and fireside chat, where Scott presents images and stories from his new book, based on seven years of frontline reporting from the warzones of Central America in the 1980s. He will join a panel of experts to discuss the current relevance of those events on immigration and our treatment of immigrants, the critical role of the press as a counterweight to disinformation, and the treatment of civilians in wartime.
About the Book
Central America in the Crosshairs of War: On the Road from Vietnam to Iraq is an unforgettable account of how misguided and illegal U.S. policies in Central America during the 1980s resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, created many of today’s problems along America’s Southern Border, and helped perpetuate a legacy of hawkish militarism at the expense of democracy and diplomacy.During the 1980s, the United States financed and directed wars against popular movements in Central America. Vowing to block “Soviet expansion” in the hemisphere, the U.S. waged a Vietnam-style counterinsurgency in El Salvador while orchestrating a covert and illegal war to overthrow the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. Some 75,000 died in El Salvador, the vast majority at the hands of the U.S.-supported military and security forces. More than 35,000 were killed during the so-called Contra War in Nicaragua. Meanwhile, with tacit U.S. support, the Guatemalan military razed hundreds of Indigenous communities and killed more than 200,000 people during a civil war that claimed the lives of 100,000 Mayan villagers.
Scott Wallace covered these conflicts throughout the decade for some of the world’s most prestigious media, including CBS News, Newsweek, and The Guardian. Traveling along the frontlines of war, Wallace evolved a distinctive reporting style that included photojournalistic portraits of startling intimacy, page-turning tales of high adventure, and incisive analysis of the events he witnessed. The result is this unforgettable account in words and images of a reporter coming of age on the battlefield as he seeks the truth amid a landscape rife with death and deception.
About the Author
Scott Wallace is an award-winning writer, television producer, and photojournalist who has covered armed conflict, the environment, vanishing cultures around the world for the past four decades. He joined the Journalism Department at the University of Connecticut as an Associate Professor in 2017. He is an Affiliate Faculty member of El Instituto: UConn’s Institute of Latino/a, Caribbean and Latin American Studies.In addition to his work in Central America, he has reported on war, organized crime, and the environment from Africa, South America, the Arctic, the Himalaya, Southeast Asia, China, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East.
As a frequent contributor to National Geographic, he has reported extensively from the deep recesses of the Amazon rainforest on environmental conflict and Indigenous cultures. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon’s Last Uncontacted Tribes, a firsthand account of his trek through the land of a mysterious tribe living in extreme isolation deep in the Amazon rainforest.
About the Event
Following a presentation by Scott Wallace, there will be a fireside chat with refreshments. Copies of Central America in the Crosshairs of War will be on sale at this event.
This event is hosted by the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, in collaboration with the University of Connecticut’s El Instituto, Department of Journalism, Humanities Institute, Global Affairs, and the Research Program on Arts & Human Rights.
Contact Information:
Alex Branzell, Events & Communications Coordinator, Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, University of Connecticut
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Mar
26
International Women’s Day 11:30am
International Women’s Day
Wednesday, March 26th, 2025
11:30 AM - 01:30 PM
Student Union
Join us as we celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about work still to be done, and take action to drive gender parity. We will have speakers, performances, activities, snacks and flowers for everyone!