Making the pluriverse: A cross-Atlantic colonial history

Debates about the “pluriverse” have deep historical roots in early modern encounters across the Atlantic. Focusing on interactions between friars and Indigenous peoples in colonial Latin America, this talk traces early struggles over whether the world was one or many, revealing how tensions between unity and plurality long predate contemporary critiques of colonialism and capitalism.

Over the past twenty years, scholars and activists in Latin America have used the idea of the pluriverse to question colonial and capitalist ways of thinking. The term refers to the belief that there is not just one single way to understand the world, but many different ways of living, knowing, and relating to one another and to the environment.

While the concept may sound contemporary, the questions it raises are much older. As early as the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, encounters between Europe and the Americas forced people on both sides of the Atlantic to rethink how the world was understood and represented. These encounters did not only reshape maps and texts; they also challenged what people meant when they spoke of “the world” itself.

Focusing on encounters between friars and Indigenous communities in colonial Latin America, this talk explores early debates about whether the world should be seen as one unified whole or as a plurality of different worlds. By looking at these historical tensions, the talk invites us to reflect on present-day discussions around the idea of the pluriverse.

Programme

From 15.30 to 17.00, the event will consist of a lecture, followed by remarks from our discussant and an open Q&A session with the audience.

About Cedla

The Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation (CEDLA) Lecture Series is a public event programme that brings together international experts to share insights and new publications on Latin America. Each session features a 45-minute talk, followed by comments from a discussant and an open Q&A with the audience. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or simply curious about the region, you’re welcome to join the conversation. We’ll end the evening with drinks and nibbles at VOX-POP.