Asian Globalization and Latin America

The Asian Globalization and Latin America Project (AGLA) at FIU has been an innovative trans-regional program that created a permanent Certificate Program, helped faculty development, and enhanced the Chinese and Japanese language programs and study abroad opportunities.  The Project was originally funded by a grant from Department of Education (1999-2002).  It links two major regional programs: the prestigious Title VI national resource center of Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC) and Asian Studies.

AGLA focuses on establishing and examining points of intersection between the regions of Asia and Latin America by analyzing issues such as diaspora/migration patterns; religion and cultural/national identity; trade/political economy; systems of education and reform; environmental/labor issues; and internet commerce/technology. 

The Project developed six main thematic areas covered by various curriculum and faculty development (which are listed lower on the page).

Selected Courses Created through AGLA Project

INR 4032	Asia and Latin America in World Affairs
LBS 4653	Labor Movements in Developing Countries
LIN 4624	Bilingualism and Language Policy
LIT 4197	Global Asian Literature
REL 3026	Folk Religions in Asia and the World
REL 3028	Sacred Places, Sacred Travels
REL 3123	Asian Religions in the Americas
SPW 4133	Eastern Thought and Latin American Literature
SPW 4470	Asia in 19th Century Hispanic Literature
SYP 4454	Globalization and Society

Selected Speakers, Workshops, and Conferences

For a list of speakers, workshops, and conferences hosted by AGLA, please click here.

Themes

1) Ethnic Identity,included the function of the Japanese communities in Brazil and Peru and the Chinese diaspora communities in Cuba and Panama, as well as Asian-Latin Americans returning to Asia.

2) Comparative Literature and Thought, such as the influence of Asian culture on Latin American literature, philosophy, and film, along with comparisons of "magical realism" in the respective literary traditions, as well as the role of mystical philosophy and cult religions, such as the spread of Japanese cult movements among Japanese and non-Japanese sectors in Latin America.

"Guided by his pale hand a silkworm is his brush, that formed upon the paper the black chrysalis of a mysterious hieroglyph whence, like flower, sprung a magnificent thought with wings of flying gold:  subtle and mysterious flame in the lamp of the ideogram."
- Jose Juan Tablada, 1920

3) Linguistics and Bilingualism, how languages, styles of language pedagogy, and heritage language retention and bilingualism reflect issues of cultural interaction and social identity.

4) Social and Political Issues, includes development, security, governance, labor, drug trafficking, medical ethics, environmental concerns, human rights, and related topics.

5) Trade and Economics, such as the effect of a global economy on both regions and, in particular, the impact of the Asian financial crisis on Latin American economic development.

6) Area Studies, includes studies of world regions and international issues as conducted in universities and institutes in Asian and Latin American countries, in order to understand how the academic leaders of each area understand the other region.