Interdisciplinary Institute of Social Sciences of the Central American University – Nicaragua
Jessica Pérez, Director
At the end of 2017, the Central American University (UCA) decided to establish the Interdisciplinary Institute of Social Sciences (IICS) to consolidate and strengthen its research efforts in this field. The new Institute benefits from the capabilities and experience developed by the existing Research Institutes and Centers over more than two decades: the Institute of History of Nicaragua and Central America (IHNCA-UCA), the Institute of Education (IDEUCA), the Center for Sociocultural Analysis (CASC-UCA), and the Interdisciplinary Program of Gender Studies (PIEG-UCA).
For many years, the Central American University, through its faculties, centers, and research institutes, has maintained an active relationship with CLACSO member centers. We have actively participated in working groups, academic activities, and training programs.
General objective: to investigate and produce interdisciplinary scientific knowledge based on the Social Sciences that contribute to social change oriented towards the construction of more just, free and equitable societies.
Specific objectives:
• To contribute critical and alternative knowledge about the current economic, political, social and sociocultural organization of Nicaraguan and Central American societies.
• To promote public debate on the main problems of the current economic, political, social and sociocultural organization of Central American societies, especially those that affect the vast majority.
• To propose recommendations that contribute to solving the economic, political, social and sociocultural problems of Nicaraguan and Central American society.
Research lines
Line 1. Critical and alternative views on development models and their effects on society and nature in Central America.
Objective: To promote public debate and contribute critical and alternative knowledge about the economic, political and sociocultural organization of Nicaraguan and Central American society, proposing recommendations for viable policies and social behaviors that contribute to structural changes in development models through overcoming central problems in both social relations and the relations of these societies with nature.
Line 2. The challenge of democratic construction in Central America
Objective: To analyze the political, economic, and sociocultural factors of the region's trend toward authoritarianism, which is currently jeopardizing the existing social structure in Central America, in order to propose recommendations that contribute to building more democratic and just societies based on solid institutions, new ways of doing politics, new leadership, new social behaviors, and new ways of thinking that emerge in the current crisis.
Line 3. Institutional framework, rights and social justice in Central America
Objective: To provide a better understanding of the political and sociocultural mechanisms and factors that contribute to building more humane, just, equal and lasting social relationships, focusing particularly on social justice, respect for human rights, and respect for social differences of gender, age, intercultural and ethnicity, in order to contribute to the strengthening of the social fabric and institutions.
[+] Presentations from Member Centers
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