Chronicle of the International Colloquium “Memory and Future of Dependency Theory: Balance 50 Years After the Military Coup in Chile.”

The Relevance and Present of Dependency Theory: A Critical Legacy Resonating from Latin America

Abstract

This chronicle recounts the International Colloquium “Memory and Future of Dependency Theory: Balance at 50 Years of the Chilean Coup”, held in Santiago in August 2023. The event brought together scholars, intellectuals, and social actors to reflect on the relevance of dependency theory today. Originating in the 1960s–70s and later silenced by Southern Cone dictatorships, dependency theory emerged as a critical framework from the Global South. Presentations explored international political economy, Latin American intellectual history, and the intersections of memory, affect, and theory. The colloquium also included visits to sites of memory, highlighting the biographical and collective dimensions of dependency thought. Rather than a closed legacy, dependency reappears as an analytical and political tool to understand ongoing inequalities and to envision emancipatory futures. The chronicle underscores the critical revival of a tradition that continues to challenge contemporary realities.