Mission and Vision

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at Brown University, now in its twenty-fifth year, offers a flexible, multidisciplinary undergraduate concentration that promotes an understanding of the culture, history, and contemporary problems of Latin America. Through a full schedule of lectures, events, and films, CLAS aims to promote a constant dialogue on academic, socio-political, economic, and cultural matters related to Latin America at all levels of the university and beyond. In 2006, CLAS was designated as one of 18 Title VI Undergraduate National Resource Centers for Latin American Studies by the United States Department of Education.

CLAS is located in the Rhodes Suite at the Watson Institute for International Studies. James N. Green is the director of the Center and Douglas Cope is the concentration advisor. Currently, its program includes over 100 affiliated faculty and staff with an interest in the region. CLAS works closely with Brown's language programs, especially Hispanic Studies and the Department of Portuguese and Brazilian Studies.

CLAS launched recently its Caribbean Basin Initiative to position Brown as the leading institution of higher education in Southern New England that focuses on the Caribbean. The initiative has spawned the establishment of a Haitian Creole language acquisition program, a study abroad program in Cuba, in addition to a film and lecture series, academic symposia, and outreach to local Caribbean communities.