I work at the intersections of language, creativity and community engagement with migrant and minoritised communities in the UK, in particular with the Latin American communities in London and Scotland.
My interdisciplinary work with the Latin American migrant communities, largely builds on my academic experience in Latin American cultural studies, visual cultures and gender studies.
My research involves community planning, community engagement and community development, having co- delivered several projects and research outputs, including a report for Southwark Council assessing the needs and challenges faced by the Latin American communities in the borough.
In 2022, I joined the University of Glasgow as a Lecturer in Spanish. Previously, I lectured at the universities of St Andrews, Stirling, and the Open University in Scotland.
The lived experience and the research:
Originally from Uruguay, I came to Scotland to work as a Language Assistant at the University of St Andrews, where I later did a MLitt in Latin American Studies and completed my doctorate with a thesis on contemporary Latin American women’s writing. I was a lecturer in Spanish and Latin American studies at the University of Stirling and have published on Hispanic cinema and gendered identity in Latin American fiction. Since moving to Glasgow in 2013, where I am now based, I became fully engaged in community projects, bringing and translating my academic skills into the voluntary sector. Working as a Trustee for a small charity in Glasgow allowed me to develop upon my academic background and move into the third sector, working at the intersection of community engagement, creativity and languages. Since then I have been working on different community engagement projects with migrant communities in England and Scotland, from designing innovative art projects such as “La Biciteca” to building a cross-sector network with Latin American organisations in Southwark.
Dr María Soledad Montañez 