Latin American Studies
A page within Latin American Studies
The Institute for Latin American and Latino Studies (ILLAS) was created in 1974 to call attention to the variety of courses dealing with Latin America at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. It promotes an understanding of Latin America, facilitates contact among professors with Latin American specialties, seeks to respond to student and community groups and presents speakers and other programs. The UWL Institute is linked in the UW System through the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Since 2001, the Institute has expanded into U.S. Latina and Latino Studies, an area currently overseen by the Department of Ethnic and Racial Studies which reflects the research interests of newly-hired faculty and a growing presence of Latina/o students. There is a strong working relationship between ILLAS and the Office of International Studies, the Office of Multicultural Students Services and LASO, the Latin American Student Organization.
The Institute is interdisciplinary with participants from the Colleges of Liberal Studies, the College of Science and Health and the College of Business Administration. Members of the Institute offer a wide variety of courses and expertise in the following: biology, economics, history, business, management, geography, languages and literature, philosophy, political science, sociology, geography, music, anthropology and archaeology. Faculty currently participate in International Education programs in Bolivia, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Cuba.
The Institute's pedagogical collections, journals and a small library of materials on Latin American and Chicano literature, as well as a working area for faculty associates, can be found in 315 Graff Main Hall. The Institute's video library, with over 100 titles, is available to associates and their classes at the Language Resource Center in Graff Main Hall.
To set up an appointment, email Omar Granados at ogranados@uwlax.edu
