Memories and Reflections on CLAS

The Centre in the early years

  • Dr Rory Miller (Cambridge PhD student, 1970-1973) ... on the Parry Report, the founding of the Centre in Cambridge, and the bumpy early years through to consolidation and growth in the 1970s.
  • Dr Francisco Kerdel-Vegas (visiting researcher at Cambridge, 1967) ... on the establishment of the Simón Bolívar Chair

Interviews

  • Dr Françoise Barbira-Freedman (CLAS Research Officer 1978-1983) ... on being the first female researcher at CLAS in the 1970s, on the Centre’s first international conference, on her research on indigenous medicine and conservation in the Amazon, on the importance of the interdisciplinary nature of the Centre and its current expansion.
  • Prof David Brading (CLAS Director, 1973-1990) ... on the founding of the Centre, teaching in the early days, and memories of Simón Bolívar Professors (with memories also from Celia Brading).
  • Dr David Lehmann (CLAS Director, 1990-2000) ... on key events at the Centre and Simón Bolívar Professors over the years. 
  • Prof Anthony Bebbington (CLAS Research Officer, 1989-1995) ... on the importance of the Research Officer (postdoc) posts at CLAS and the crucial role of area studies.

Reflections and recollections

Anniversary messages