NALACS, the Netherlands Association for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, is an association for everyone in the Netherlands who is involved in Latin American and Caribbean studies.began to operate under this name in 1996. NALACS was formed by a group of academics with different disciplinary backgrounds doing research on Latin America and the Caribbean. Originally, NALACS was an association by and for academics, but it has broadened to include individuals working on the region within additional professional fields, such as journalism and development practice. Its members include senior researchers, PhD candidates and students, as well as journalists and NGO staff. NALACS mission is to promote insight and debate on issues related to Latin America and the Caribbean in the Netherlands. NALACS also has a network function, connecting Latin Americanists and Caribbeanists in the Netherlands to each other and to colleagues in surrounding countries. A NALACS membership includes a subscription to the European Review of Latin American Studies.
NALACS organizes lectures, seminars and conferences on social, political and cultural developments in Latin America and the Caribbean, often in cooperation with other Dutch institutions. NALACS focuses on urgent or otherwise topical issues, invites prominent international speakers and offers a forum to experts based in the Netherlands.
NALACS has a knowledge, network, and advocacy function. It has the following objectives:
- To contribute from a multi-disciplinary perspective to knowledge, understanding and debates about Latin America and the Caribbean, through activities including the organization of academic events
- To stimulate contacts between individuals, universities and organizations with an interest in Latin America and the Caribbean
- To further the interests of Latin American and Caribbean studies vis-à-vis academic and social institutions and funding agencies.
NALACS receives an annual subsidy from WOTRO, the division within the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) that supports scientific research on development issues.
NALACS Board
The NALACS board has six members, each elected for three years. General meetings open to all members are held once a year, generally linked to a lecture or a seminar. Currently, the board consists of the following members:
- Dr Imke Harbers (chair; University of Amsterdam/Cedla)
- Dr Hebe Verrest (secretary, newsletter; University of Amsterdam)
- Dr Christien Klaufus (treasurer; Cedla)
- Dr Jeanette Kloosterman (Oxfam/Novib)
- Dr Edwin Rap (Wageningen University)
- Nanneke Winters (Univeristy of Antwerp)
Nalacs is registered with the Kamer van Koophandel (KvK) under 40539108.
Advisory Committee
In 2008, the NALACS board invited anumber of individuals who are well-positioned within the Latin Americanist and Caribbeanist community in the Netherlands to serve as a sounding board in terms of the overall vision and strategy and to facilitate contacts with different sectors of the membership. This advisory committee (‘Comité van aanbeveling’) consists of the following members:
- Prof Dr Michiel Baud, CEDLA
- Prof Dr Gert Oostindie, KITLV/Leiden University
- Prof Dr Annelies Zoomers, Utrecht University
- Dr Kees Koonings, Utrecht University
- Dr Kees Biekart, Institute of Social Studies
Co-operation
NALACS works together with two PhD networks in the Netherlands, the OLA (the Latin Americanist PhD student network)and RedNLA (network of Latin American PhD candidates living in the Netherlands).
NALACS also cooperates with sister organizations in other European countries, notably ADLAF (Germany) and SLAS (United Kingdom).
