Democratic Innovations in Latin America: Social Movements, Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Communities
July 27-31, 2025 | Fundação Casa de Rui Barbosa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Social movements, Indigenous peoples, and traditional communities, across Latin America and its diaspora, creatively craft democratic innovations in response to democratic deficits, authoritarianism and state violence, environmental extraction, and the realities of (neo)colonialism and imperialism. These evolving practices, grounded in community-driven knowledge and needs, remain underrepresented, dispersed, and marginalized in the ecosystems of democratic thought and practice.
In collaboration with McMaster University, University of Montreal, Toronto Metropolitan University, Concordia University, University of Alberta, the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Fundação Casa de Rui Barbosa, the Brazilian Political Science Association, the Brazilian Association of Graduate Studies and Research in Social Sciences, Democracia en Red, Extituto: Demo.Reset, Observatório de Protocolos Comunitários, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, People Powered, International IDEA, Democracy International, Federal University of Viçosa, and Agência de Iniciativas Cidadã, Participedia School on Democratic Innovations in Latin America (July 27-31, 2025) helped to mobilize these knowledges through a consortium of thought and practice leaders. Registrants underwent problem-based co-design pedagogy that brought together students, scholars, and practitioners for inclusive, intersectional, and international dialogue, collaboration, and exchange. Together, we explored how existing grassroots initiatives can successfully drive inclusive and just democratic practices.
Participedia School 2025 on Democratic Innovations in Latin America aimed to:
Create a collaborative space to foster global, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary exchange between students, scholars, and practitioners from around the world, while engaging with democratic practices emerging from Latin American communities.
Explore local knowledges alongside and in connection with global perspectives, focusing on Latin American democratic practices through community-led workshops and co-design projects.
Raise awareness and bridge knowledge gaps, deepening our understanding of democratic innovations among practitioners, organizations, academics, and students worldwide.
Promote internationalization and research, networking, and policy skills among indigenous and non-indigenous students, scholars, practitioners, and community leaders, training the next generation of leaders.
Week Overview
What: This Participedia school explored Latin American democratic innovations through themes of (but not limited to): rethinking democracy from below; collective resistance and intersectional struggles; Indigenous peoples, land, and climate justice; advocacy, autonomy, and co-governance; and technology, decolonization, and radical imagination. It featured a community day (July 27) to engage with local organizations practicing democracy followed by four days (July 28-31) of in-class programming. The curriculum included panels of renowned guest speakers, expert-led discussions, collaborative case studies, and problem-based learning. The curriculum was accredited by the Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro.
When: July 27-31, 2025
Where: Fundação Casa de Rui Barbosa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Who: Indigenous and non-indigenous students, early career scholars, practitioners, community leaders, Participedia researchers, and professionals whose work can be enhanced by learning about and engaging with Latin American community-led democratic innovations through co-design and knowledge exchange processes. This program aims to host 50 in-person participants. We strongly encourage you to apply ASAP to secure your spot. All prospective registrants will be contacted on a rolling basis at the end of January and February confirming your registrant spot.
Due to Brazilian regulations, there was no registration fee for this event.
If you have any questions, please contact info@participedia.net.