Protection and Exclusion in Migrants' Rights amid the Crisis of Liberalism in the Americas

On behalf of the Political Science team at the LAI, we would like to thank all participants and panelists who joined us for this engaging two-day workshop held on 12 and 13 February 2026, on the trajectory of human rights frameworks in migration across Latin America and beyond, as well as the recurring and new challenges in contemporary times.

This workshop marked the first international academic activity of Prof. Dr. Luisa Feline Freier as the new Professor of Political Science at the LAI. Organized at her invitation, the event brought together researchers from a variety of disciplines and institutions, reflecting continuity with her previous research at the Universidad del Pacífico, particularly through the Cátedra IDRC de Investigación en Migraciones y Desplazamientos Forzados en América Latina y el Caribe. In doing so, the workshop created a space to bring these research trajectories into dialogue at the LAI.

Discussions addressed restrictive and regressive policies, measures implemented by left- and right-wing governments, and the categorization of migrants and refugees within debates on liberal democracy. Key topics included the role of state bureaucracies and non-state actors, border and de-bordering practices, externalization policies, deportations, and forced returns.

On the first day, we were pleased to host Pablo Ceriani Cernadas (UNLA, Argentina; Vice-Chair, UN Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Their Families, 2024–2025) for a keynote and overview of 25 years of Latin American legal and political history, from rights-based policies to regressive populist reforms. Other first-day contributions included case studies presented by Ana Paula Penchaszadeh (CONICET), Clara Peter (SOAS), Daniela Celleri (Leibniz Universität Hannover), and Marcia Vera Espinoza (Queen Margaret University).

The second day focused on exclusion, the crisis of liberalism, and processes of legislative innovation featuring discussions by Günther Maihold (FU Berlin), Christian Ambrosius (FU Berlin), Leiza Brumat (UNU-CRIS), Maria Gabriela Trompetero (Universität Bielefeld), Diego Acosta (University of Bristol), Omar Hammoud-Gallego (Durham University), Diogo Andreola Serraglio (PIK), and Lila García (Leuphana Universität Lüneburg).

The workshop aimed to bring together scholars and practitioners to reflect, exchange ideas, and explore alternatives and conceptual frameworks that can account for the region’s diversity and contemporary challenges, particularly in times of rising xenophobia and restrictive measures.

We are delighted that this workshop created a space for critical reflection and interdisciplinary dialogue. It highlighted the importance of exploring migration governance in Latin America amid shifting hemispheric orders, developing new approaches, and upholding human rights that allow people to move with dignity.

We look forward to seeing you again soon at the LAI!