About the Theme

Disruption: one of the best words to characterize 2020. We can think of it as “the action of rending or bursting asunder; [a] violent dissolution of continuity; [a] forcible severance.”[1] After a year marked by such action, the COVID-19 global health crisis encourages us to consider prevalent and persistent social ills, such as racism and sexism, that upend people’s daily lives. As the pandemic rages, putting into sharp focus the existing inequalities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, our current situation presents opportunities for us to consider the effects of disruption. While the uncertainty that accompanies major societal upheaval can lead to suppression, where progress made towards addressing societal inequalities is stalled, it can also engender innovation, serving as a catalyst for social and political transformation. In the Americas, activism continues - in the streets and online - with individuals and groups engaging in disruptive practices, hoping to create new possibilities and futures. In this conference, acknowledging both its generative and destructive qualities, we seek to explore the detrimental effects as well as the productive possibilities of rupture.