Polycrisis, Democracy and Social Change at the Latin American Sociology Congress

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How can societies respond to overlapping crises while also recognising new forms of resistance, participation and collective imagination?

That question was at the heart of the XXXV Latin American Congress of Sociology, held in Rio de Janeiro in June 2026.

Across six days, the Congress brought together 27 working groups, thematic roundtables, special forums, international speakers and cultural activities. Discussions addressed some of the major challenges shaping contemporary societies, including authoritarianism and democracy, political ecology and ecosocial transitions, persistent inequalities, digitalisation and artificial intelligence, and the role of social movements.

The Congress also placed strong emphasis on emerging forms of activism, resistance and political imagination across Latin America and the Caribbean, asking how sociology can respond to a period marked not only by crisis, but also by new possibilities for social transformation.

The debates connect closely with wider discussions around democracy, participation and resilience that were also explored during the DEAR Hub in June.

See more on ALAS 2026.