The Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program that brings together scholars from the arts, humanities, social and environmental sciences who wish to understand Latin America as a major world region that continues to contribute unique and original understandings to the global community. By Latin America, we include South America, the Caribbean and North America. We are particularly focused on Latin American peoples, including those residents in the contemporary United States. Latin American Studies scholars celebrate diversity, recognizing the signal contributions of indigenous (first) peoples, African diaspora, European immigrants, women and other diverse communities. As such, Latin American scholars have developed such important intellectual contributions as dependency theory, magical realism, and critiques of 'ecological neocolonialism' among others.

Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies embraces the many missions of the University of Kentucky. We work to provide undergraduate education, study abroad opportunities, graduate and faculty scholarship and enrichment, and to engage the broader Latino community of Kentucky in accordance with the University's 'Land Grant' mission to enrich the lives of all Kentuckians.