BRASA HISTORY

BRASA was formally launched during the 1992 Congress of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) in Los Angeles, California. At that meeting some forty scholars came together and resolved to form an association that would both promote Brazilian Studies and continue to build strong links between those who study Brazil and other parts of Latin America. The First International Conference (BRASA I) was held in Atlanta, Georgia in conjunction with LASA in March 1994. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, an Executive Committee elected, and a Secretariat designated at the University of New Mexico. Founding members Jon M. Tolman, Roberto Reis, and Edward A. Riedinger were elected as the Association’s first President and Vice-President, and Secretary, respectively. Since then BRASA has hosted the following conferences:

BRASA II hosted by University of Minnesota, May 11-13, 1995
BRASA III hosted by King’s College, Cambridge University, September 7-10, 1996
BRASA IV in Washington, D.C. November 12-15, 1997
BRASA V in Recife, Pernambuco, June 18-21, 2000
BRASA VI in Atlanta, Georgia, April 3-5, 2002
BRASA VII hosted by Pontifícia Universidade Católica, Rio de Janeiro, June 9-12, 2004.
BRASA VIII hosted by Vanderbilt University, October 13-16, 2006
BRASA IX hosted by Tulane University, March 27-29, 2008
BRASA X in Brasília, 22-24 July, 2010
BRASA XI hosted by University of Illinois, September 6-8, 2012.
BRASA XII hosted by King’s College London, August 20-23, 2014
BRASA XIII hosted by Brown University, March 31 – April 2, 2016
BRASA XIV hosted by Pontifícia Universidade Católica, Rio de Janeiro, July 25-28, 2018
BRASA XV hosted by the University of Texas-Austin, March 26-28, 2020 (meeting cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic)
BRASA XVI hosted by Georgetown University, March 10-12, 2022 (virtual format)
BRASA XVII hosted by San Diego State University, April 3-6, 2024

Past Presidents of BRASA

Sidney Chalhoub
Harvard University
2022-2024


Marcelo Paixão
University of Texas at Austin
2020-2022


Gladys Mitchell-Walthour
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
2018-2020


Bryan McCann
Georgetown University
2016-2018


Anthony Pereira
King’s College London
2014-2016


Jan Hoffman French
University of Richmond
2012-2014

___________________________

Randal Johnson
University of California Los Angeles
2010-2012


Peggy Sharpe
Florida State University
2008-2010


Kenneth P. Serbin
University of San Diego
2006-2008


Timothy J. Power
St. Cross College, University of Oxford 2004-2006


James N. Green
Brown University
2002-2004


Susan Quinlan
University of Georgia
2000-2002


Dain Borges
University of Chicago
1998-2000


Elizabeth Kuznesof
University of Kansas
1996-1998


Jon M. Tolman
University of New Mexico
1994-1996


BRASA Executive Directors

  • Christopher J. Dunn, Tulane University (2020-2026)
  • James Green, Brown University (2015-2020)
  • Mary Arends-Kuenning, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2011-15)
  • Marshall Eakin, Vanderbilt University (2004-2011)
  • Jon M. Tolman, University of New Mexico (1994-2004)