Building Community and New Directions: The 2025 UKLAH Conferenceat the University of Liverpool

On Friday 6 June, the UK Latin American History Network (UKLAH) held its 4th

Annual Conference at the University of Liverpool, bringing together over 50 scholars,

researchers, and postgraduate students from across the UK and abroad. Building on

the successful editions in Bristol (2022), London (2023), and Sheffield (2024), this

year’s event focused on creating an inclusive and collaborative environment for

participants from a range of academic backgrounds and career stages.

UKLAH 2025 participants during the welcome remarks by the organising committee. Photo credit: Claudio Ogass Bilbao

The UKLAH Conference offers more than a traditional academic conference by

focusing on collaboration, dialogue, and constructive feedback. As in previous years,

the day was organised around pre-circulated papers so that the participants could

receive constructive feedback, which is particularly valuable for PhD students and

early-career researchers.

2025 UKLAH Annual Conference Official Poster and Programme

Conference Highlights

This year’s conference featured a Poster Presentation Session for the first time,

allowing PhD students in earlier stages of their research to present their ideas visually

and engage in informal discussion. UKLAH 2025 also extended its reach beyond the

UK, with participants joining virtually and in-person from Germany, Peru, and Spain,

reflecting the network’s growing international scope.

Another highlight was the Archival Showcase, a curated exhibition of Latin American

sources held in the Sydney Jones Library, made possible through the invaluable

support of the University of Liverpool’s Special Collections & Archives. This activity offered participants the opportunity to learn about Latin America-related archival and historical documents held in Liverpool: documents from the Chile-Liverpool solidarity movement; the personal archive of Chilean exile Gustavo Jara; letters, reports and publications from the Society for Latin American Studies; Chilean graphic art and music; and rare 16th- and 17th-century travel books recounting early European voyages to Latin America.

The archival showcase sparked conversations about archival research and the value of

local research on Latin American history. The showcase served not only as a valuable

addition to the UKLAH Conference, but also as a source of inspiration, encouraging

future researchers to use the archival material held at the University of Liverpool and

other regional archives.

Attendees explored a rich array of archival materials held at the University of Liverpool

Posters, cassettes, and vinyl from Robert Pring-Mill Collection

Conference Programme

The final programme featured one roundtable, three panel sessions, five workshops,

and the poster session. The day opened with a roundtable on “Future Directions in

Colonial Latin American History,” which focused on recent publications and emerging

approaches in the field. The discussion examined current historiographical

developments and future research directions.

In Panel Session 1, titled “Memory, Exile, and Struggle: Human Rights and Political

Cultures in Contemporary Latin America,” speakers tackled pressing issues of historical memory and transitional justice. Topics included exile narratives, collective

memory work, and state violence, with contributions drawing from Argentina, Chile,

and Brazil.

Panel Session 2, “Constructing Nations: Education, Urbanism, and Everyday

Modernities in Latin America”, examined how national identities are built from the

ground up through public education policies, urban planning, and the politics of daily

life. Presentations spanned the 20th century and explored how ordinary experiences

are shaped by state-building projects.

The third panel, “Histories from Below in Latin America: Resistance, Labour, and

Decolonial Struggles,” reflected UKLAH’s commitment to centring marginalised voices

and grassroots perspectives. Speakers highlighted worker movements, Indigenous

resistance, and decolonial epistemologies.

Daniela Belmar presented her paper in panel session 2. Photo credit: Claudio Ogass Bilbao

Complementing the formal panels were five interactive workshops. Centred on pre-

circulated work-in-progress papers, these sessions allowed PhD students and

emerging scholars to receive feedback from peers and experienced academics. The

discussants offered guidance and support in line with UKLAH’s collaborative spirit.

University of Liverpool PhD Students Naiara Unzurrunzaga and Claudio Ogass

received feedback during Workshop 5: Modernisation and State Power

Photo credit: Camilo Uribe Botta

Behind the scenes

This year’s conference was co-organised by Richard Smith (Honorary Fellow), Marieke

Riethof (Senior Lecturer in Latin American Politics), and Claudio Ogass Bilbao (PhD

candidate in Archive Studies), all based at the University of Liverpool. UKLAH 2025

would not have been possible without the generous support from the UKLAH

Committee, the University of Liverpool, and funding from the Society for Latin

American Studies (SLAS).

Annual General Meeting and Prizes

During the closing session, the network held its annual general meeting, where

members elected a new committee and celebrated academic achievements. Fionntán

O’Hara received both the Best Article and the Best thesis prize while Daniel

McDonald earned an honourable mention for his article and Nicolás Gómez Baeza for

his doctoral thesis.

Looking Ahead

As Latin Americanists continue to face pressures in UK higher education, UKLAH

provides an important forum for research collaboration and networking in the field.

Plans are underway for UKLAH 2026, with the host institution to be announced soon.

Stay tuned via UKLAH's website and social media channels for updates on the call for

papers and next year’s location.

Claudio Ogass Bilbao

2025 UKLAH Organising Team

PhD student in Archive Studies

University of Liverpool