Caminando, vol. 38, no. 1
Social Responses to Authoritarianism
Deadline to submit an article: February 28, 2024
Presentation
Caminando is a bi-annual journal that aims to disseminate alternative information on social struggles and human rights in Latin America. Since 1980, Caminando has been a forum for reflection and action, through its mission to set forward critical perspectives on major issues impacting Latin American socio-political life, and shared struggles for the defence of rights and self-determination in Latin America, as well as in Quebec and Canada.
The journal also publishes stories and poems, as well as illustrations and photographs pertaining to the themes addressed in each issue. Caminando is published in French, in paper format. Articles are also published electronically on Érudit and EBSCO. www.caminando.ca
Caminando is published by the Committee for Human Rights in Latin America (CDHAL), a solidarity organization which is dedicated to defending and promoting human rights in reciprocity with social movements and communities in Latin America in the struggle for social, environmental, economic and cultural justice. www.cdhal.org
Next edition of Caminando
Various Latin American countries are facing the threat, return or consolidation of authoritarian systems and governments. In some cases, the region is witnessing the rise of the extreme right, accompanied by the defense of values strongly rooted in neoliberalism and conservatism, which openly deny social rights and progressive policies. In other cases, the presence of left-wing governments is also expressed through anti-democratic and repressive measures aimed at controlling populations whose fundamental rights are affected by the economic, social, ecological and political context.
In Guatemala, social mobilization against the corruption pact is an example of popular mobilization that has shaken the most powerful authorities. In Peru, the ollas communes (common pot, or soup kitchens) set up at the time of the coup d’état provided food and helped build a social fabric in the face of the repression suffered by the population. The voices of civil society denouncing the military intervention in Haiti are also similar to those raised in El Salvador, where the emergency measures put in place by the regime have overlooked the rights of the population. In Argentina, social movements are confronting the rise to power of the extreme right, while in several countries of the continent, critical voices are also denouncing what is happening within the governments that call themselves left-wing in Latin America.
Faced with this panorama, the social responses emerging from the grassroots are centered on resistance, defense and the conquest of democratic spaces. Historical movements for memory and against the interventionism of Northern countries, as well as movements for the defense of territories, offer us a mosaic of hopeful possibilities in the face of divergent realities. The next issue of Caminando, to be published in May 2024, will be devoted to social responses to authoritarianism in Latin America.
By way of example, but not exclusively, your contributions could address the following themes and sub-themes:
- Political issues and their consequences for populations and social movements;
- Experiences of resistance, hope and alternatives in the face of these challenges;
- The criminalization of social leaders and journalists, among others;
- Gendered experiences of anti-democratic policies;
- Any other topic related to the theme.
Text format
Poems, testimonies, interviews, spoken word performances, critical analyses, event reports, reflections, and any other type of contribution will be considered.
Editorial criteria and processes
At submission
Articles are first read by the journal coordinator before being assigned to a member of the editorial board, according to their field of specialization and/or mother tongue. The criteria for the publication of papers in Caminando are that:
- The article’s subject matter is discussed through a critical lens.
- Depending on the type of text, statements made by the author are supported by relevant documentation.
- The text is structured in such a way as to facilitate readability (logic, clarity, conciseness).
After submission
On submission, the manuscript is assigned to a member of the editorial board covering the subject area, according to their mother tongue. The board’s role is to edit articles, taking into account analytical and critical positioning, structure and quality of language such as listed above. Furthermore, it is the board’s role to assess whether received manuscripts respect Caminando’s objectives, values and themes, while ensuring a variety of opinions and analyses, and to request modifications if needed. The Editorial Committee reserves the right to refuse an article that does not meet the stated criteria.
Translation and Revision of Texts
Following their review by the editorial committee, articles are translated by a team of volunteer translators. Translations are consequently revised by a volunteer reviser before being finally copyedited by the Caminando coordinator.
Publication Guidelines
Publication guidelines are available here.
Deadline for submissions
If you would like to contribute to the next volume of Caminando, please send a provisional title and short summary of your text by January 31, 2024, to caminando@cdhal.org.
Full papers must be received by February 28, 2024. You are welcome to submit your article earlier if it is ready.