This conference will bring specialists from various disciplines to think comparatively about neoliberalism in Latin America and Eastern Europe. We aim to illuminate similarities and differences in the conception, implementation, and effect of neoliberalism in both regions, as well as consider cross-fertilizations between them (e.g., Polish economists’ visits to Chilean experts in the mid-1980s). Papers selected for inclusion will either provide a comparative perspective or a case study from one of the two regions that are of interest to a broader audience. Possible themes include neoliberalism as it relates to one or more of the following topics: climate change; public health; social welfare; race; rural and indigenous communities; gender; authoritarianism vs. democratic openings; popular mobilization; transnational solidarity; cultures of memory. A limited amount of travel funding will be available. Once presenters have been identified, drafts will be pre-circulated among the attendees to maximize audience participation and feedback. Selected papers will be featured in a special issue of The Latin Americanist, a peer-reviewed journal and the oldest English-language journal of Latin American Studies, published by UNC Press.

The conference will take place on September 15-16, 2023, marking the 50th anniversary of the advent of a neoliberal regime by means of the violent coup d’état in Chile. Please send proposals (a 200-word paper abstract plus a CV) to the conference organizing committee by Jun 15, 2023.