A critical sociocultural perspective on academic literacies in Latin America

Abstract

In this editorial, the author reflects on the state of research on academic literacies in Latin American higher education. To this end, the author presents a description of the context of higher education in Latin America and an analysis of literature on academic literacies in the region through the lenses of three models: the study skills model, the academic socialization model, and the critical sociocultural model. Based on this analysis, the author argues that a critical sociocultural perspective is emerging in Latin America, which considers academic literacies as social practices embedded in systems of power. This transition to a critical sociocultural perspective is important and timely because it challenges deficit views of students, and it addresses issues of power, identity, representation, and authority. The author invites Latin American scholars to consider the implications of a critical sociocultural perspective on academic literacies and the possibilities it offers for understanding how youth interact with literacy in a region where education often reinforces deep inequalities.