Memories and continuities of violence: the role of universities in Latin America

In recent decades, Latin America has encountered significant challenges in strengthening democracy, commemorating past violence, and building peace. Universities have not been exempted from these pressures. Historical and current manifestations of violence – from dictatorships and armed conflicts to resurgent authoritarian and denialist movements – have resulted in censorship and suppression of teaching and research. This paper examines the institutional achievements and limitations of universities in Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, and Uruguay; while addressing the challenges they face in teaching, research, and community engagement. Drawing upon the authors' extensive teaching experience, it presents four case studies that explore how these institutions respond to the legacies of violence. The analysis highlights theoretical gaps in understanding the role of universities in peacebuilding. Overall, the study underscores that universities are pivotal, yet underexplored, spaces for advancing democracy, fostering inclusive education, and generating contextually grounded knowledge to counter denialism and authoritarianism, and inspiring social progress.