[Apologies for cross-posting] Dear colleagues and companions, I have the great pleasure to inform you that in October of this year, the Andean University Simón Bolívar, Ecuador will initiate a new Master’s Program in Political Ecology and Alternatives to Development, in an online mode and in Spanish language. The online application period will open on July 6th and last until 7th of August 2020. This postgraduate program was designed to give account of the important debates about political ecology and alternatives to development that, among others, have marked critical thinking in Latin America in the last decades; but also to offer a space to discuss the latest dynamics of global capitalism and its geopolitical, geoepistemic and geoeconomic implications. Moreover, it seeks to contribute to the debate on the civilizational crisis in which we find ourselves and possible strategies to face it, from a Global South perspective and in a horizon of multidimensional transformation, which takes the intersections between the different relations of domination that structure our societies into account. The master's degree was originally designed as a face-to-face program that included elements conducive to inter-epistemic dialogue such as field trips, intercultural meetings, etc., which in this first cohort will not be possible to implement in this way, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the totally uncertain situation it generates in Ecuador in particular, and in Latin America in general. However, we will make efforts not to lose these dimensions that are constitutive of the program in the virtual modality. It is planned to resume the face-to-face modality from October 2021, with the second generation of students, if the conditions allow for it. On the other hand, the online modality and the discounts offered by the university, of 60% in tuition, as well as the possibility of scholarships, will facilitate having applicants from all over the continent and thus underline the international character of the master's degree, a fact that which will undoubtedly enrich the debates. On Monday, July 13, we will have an opening event / virtual presentation, in collaboration with the Working Group on Political Ecologies from Abya Yala of CLACSO, in which the most important dimensions of the master’s program will be presented and doubts of eventual applicants may also be resolved (see below and attached). The link for inscriptions to this event is here: https://www.uasb.edu.ec/web/guest/contenido?presentacion-la-maestria-en-ecol... I am attaching the brochure that contains all the information such as study plan, teaching staff, application modalities, etc., and an image for social networks. I invite you to share this information among your Spanish-speaking networks and people who might be interested. In a time of crisis for higher education in Ecuador, it is essential to count on your collaboration in the dissemination of this innovative program, for which I thank you in advance. I am looking forward to our first virtual meeting on July 8th! Regards, Miriam [Presentación la maestría en Ecología Política y Alternativas al Desarrollo] [Firma---Miriam-Lang correo 2020]
