Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Carleton University is an exciting interdisciplinary academic program that brings together a network of university professors and students who share common interests in the study of the region and its diasporas. It provides an intellectual home to discuss shared interests, participate in debate, as well as produce and share knowledge about the region.
The LACS community is organized around 5 research clusters that represent our collective strengths:
- Development, Economics, and Transnationalism
- Culture, Memory, and Narratives
- Human Rights, Citizenship, and Equality
- Foreign Policy, Sovereignty, and International Relations
- Violence, Social Protest, and Conflict
Academic Study in Latin American and Caribbean Studies?
Are you interested in developing expertise in Latin American and Caribbean Studies to enhance your professional options? Or perhaps you simply have an intellectual interest in the region that you would like to pursue …
If so, then be sure to explore the programs of study offered by LACS! We provide programs at both the undergraduate and the graduate level that will be certain to bring value to your education at Carleton University.
Undergraduate students can opt to either minor or specialize in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Graduate students pursuing more advanced studies can opt for a LACS specialisation while pursuing a Masters level degree in their home department.
Why LACS?
Because we live in a globalized world it is very important, now more than ever, to develop the necessary regional expertise.
Are you an aspiring journalist or hoping to work in communications and media studies?Think about how much better the quality of your work would be if you could produce content that reflected a sophisticated understanding of Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Do you have an interest in public affairs, policy management, human rights, or international affairs? Developing regional expertise in other parts of the world, such as Latin America and the Caribbean, will make it possible for you to avoid the pitfalls of relying on simplistic stereotypes and flawed assumptions about the region. By being better informed you will be prepared to contribute to meaningful change.
Do you have an interest in Latin American and Caribbean Studies but are majoring in disciplines such as Political Science, Geography, History, Anthropology, Literature or French (among others)? The programs of study at LACS will introduce you to approaches, theories and concepts that will help you develop more nuanced analyses and reflections about the region. They will also introduce you to interdisciplinary thinking that will enhance and complement the skills you are being taught in your major discipline.
The LACS Community
Here at Carleton University, we are fortunate to have a strong network of university professors focusing on the study of Latin American and the Caribbean. We also have strong
and productive relationships with academics who share our research interests from various 
other universities. Being based in Ottawa means that we are lucky enough to be in close proximity to various Embassies and High Commissions of Latin American and Caribbean countries which allows for the solidifying of mutually beneficial relationships that serve our students and the wider community.
At LACS we also organize public talks and other events that address topics relevant to the region. Please join our listserve to get notifications about LACS events and to learn more about the LACS intellectual community!
If you have any questions feel free to get in touch with program coordinator Professor Audra Diptée at audra.diptee@carleton.ca or the LACS administrator Xiaohan Xu at LACS@carleton.ca.