Professor Thomas Long, Politics and International Studies

The project: UK Latin American Historians (UKLAH) Annual Meeting

On 15 May 2026, Warwick hosted the annual meeting of the UK Latin American Historians

network (UKLAH). The network promotes the study and dissemination of Latin American history, and especially tries to provide a welcoming environment for early career scholars. The network involves scholars interested in the region’s history from different disciplines, including history, social sciences, literature, and languages. At the meeting, there are various sessions, including panel presentations for ECRs, workshopping of papers with scholars of all career levels, and roundtables focused on questions of career development (e.g., publication behind the scenes). The meeting also provides a great informal space for networking and the development of new ideas and collaboration. UKLAH members are based in diverse departments including History, Politics and IR, Lusophone and Hispanic Studies, Anthropology, Latin American studies, and Sociology.

Summary of project outcomes

The event was a success, bringing together some fifty participants from across the UK (and a few beyond, including the US and Spain). The event demonstrated the diversity and vibrancy of the study of Latin American history in the UK. It also showed the strength—and great interdisciplinarity—of Latin American studies at Warwick! The organizing committee was chaired by Tom Long (PAIS), and supported by colleagues in History, GSD, SMLC, and Economics. It also included Warwick doctoral students, graduates, and colleagues beyond the organizers.

The conference was a full-day affair (agenda and poster attached). It involved several panels, small-group workshops for paper development, roundtables on career and field development, and the network’s annual business meeting. The diversity of participation was excellent, as was the enthusiastic participation and response. Many workshop participants came early for an event honouring Warwick’s Professor Rebecca Earle, and many stayed for hours after the conference to continue building relationships. We have received a great deal of supportive feedback.

Has the project supported further interdisciplinary work

As noted above, the event was highly interdisciplinary (and demonstrated below and in the agenda). The nature of the workshop is that many of the collaborations develop organically and over time.

That said, I expect considerable although diffuse interdisciplinary collaborations to continue from this event. Speaking personally, I have already planned a meeting for the autumn with a colleague in history, located at UCL’s Institute of the Americas, about collaborations.