PLACA Graduate Student Working Groups

What are the Graduate Student Working Groups?

Graduate Student Working groups are student organized which means the direction and focus of the group is entirely up to the group's membership. PLACA has supported a number of geographic or thematic working groups in the past.

For example, past working groups have focused on these areas:

• Truth and Justice
• Trade and development
• Electoral politics
• Indigenous peoples

Others have functioned as directed readings groups, meeting regularly to discuss articles on a particular topic; some have sponsored speakers; others have arranged panel discussion and workshops.

PLACA has some money to support working group activities. Funds are limited, so it is best to make requests early.

Working groups must have a faculty sponsor, a faculty member willing to work with the group in guiding activities. As these are student-led groups the role of the faculty sponsor is fairly minimal.

Current Working Groups

Examples of Previous Working groups

• Latino Migration to Syracuse: an Oral History Project  
• Bolivia's Hydrocarbon Sector: Opportunities and Challenges  
• Resources, Development and Policy in Latin America 
• Children Beyond our Borders 

Interested in forming a working group?

Here's what you need to do:

Find at least two other dedicated people with a similar interest to form the group. Find a faculty member willing to sponsor your group. Contact Lori Klivak at laklivak@maxwell.syr.edu to let her know your group's focus, faculty advisor and current membership. Provide a brief document and thematic photo describing your working group for the PLACA web page.