General History of Latin America
The General History of Latin America is part of UNESCO’s General and Regional Histories Collection. The publication seeks to contribute to mutual understanding and dialogue between cultures and civilizations. This series seeks to illustrate the encounters between cultures across history and their respective contributions to the general progress of humankind. This is done through the promotion of a pluralist vision of history.
The texts were posted online on the UNESCO website.
Objectives and main themes
The General History of Latin America approaches the historical evolution of Latin America in order to capture both the unity and the diversity of the region, highlighting contributions made by Latin American societies. Coordinated and directed by UNESCO and an International Scientific Committee consisting of 240 prominent researchers and scholars from all over the world, the outcome of this project has been the publication of nine volumes of comprehensive studies and information on ideas, civilizations, societies, and institutions covering the development of Latin American societies from the pre-Columbian era to the twentieth century. Using methodologies current in historiography, the project focuses on indigenous Latin American societies, their contacts with European culture, the colonial orders, and the participation of African communities in the region to highlight the history of inter-continental interactions in Latin America.Published in Spanish and launched in 1983, the fundamental aim of the General History of Latin America, is to help heighten the historical awareness of the region.