CATHERINE W GICHUKI

DOHA PROFESSOR Dr John Beverley, a renowned scholar on Latin America, delivered a lecture titled ‘Latinamericanism After 9/11’ to students of the Department of International Affairs at Qatar University, on Wednesday.

The event was organised by the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in partnership with the Qatar University.

According to the Assistant Professor of International Affairs Programme at QU Farhan Mujahid Chak, the lecture was part of the students’ endorsement to the International Relations and Comparative Politics, where scholars are invited to give lectures on a global perspective.

The event was also to celebrate the 202nd anniversary of the proclamation of Independence of Venezuela from Spain.

In the lecture, Beverley explored Latinamericanist cultural theory in relation to new modes of political mobilisation in Latin America. He argued that after 9/11, the domination by the United States of Latin America and the neoliberal assumptions of the so-called Washington Consensus began to fade in Latin America.

“At the same time, the emergence in Latin America of the new Leftist governments gathered momentum,” he said.

Speaking to Qatar Tribune at the event, Beverley said the lecture would give students a better understanding of Latin America. “The lecture might bring the students to understand better new roles that Latin America has in the world because traditionally, Latin America has been seen as a kind of not very important part of the world. It is now becoming a very important force and it’s beginning to re-define its relationship with the United States,” he said.

Regarding the future of Latin America, Beverley said, “Latin America has a hopeful future. New governments have brought about a kind of combination of possibilities that have created not only economic dynamism, economic growth but also a change in the way of dealing with problems in social inequality, racial discrimination, a combination which is often very difficult to come by,” he said.