10/28: Alexander von Humboldt and Latin America

On October 28th, 2019, the Latin American Studies Center will host a symposium to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Alexander von Humboldt, bringing together scholars from the United States, Latin America and Europe. 

Humboldt is often celebrated as one of Europe’s most significant explorers and travel writers. But what would Humboldt be without Latin America? And how did early travel writing affect Latin American transcontinental politics?

The symposium will feature invited speakers with expertise in travel literature and its significance with respect to nineteenth-century Latin American independence movements. Presentations will explore the relation between science and politics during Humboldt’s journey through Latin America as well as the network of relationships Humboldt established for later travelers. 

The symposium seeks to address interdisciplinary travel literature and its effect on transcontinental relations in the history of Latin America.