In the long 19th century, alongside the enlightened Creole print culture that shaped nation-states, there existed a tradition of alternative media used by popular and racialized sectors for circulating and producing discourses. This tension between elite and popular media has historically been overlooked by Latin American intellectuals based on the premise of mestizo homogeneity, imposed by the hegemonic power of print technology. Since the outset of Latin American supranationalism, voices such as Ignacio Ramírez (Mexico, 1818), Simón Rodriguez (Venezuela, 1769), Santiago Ramos (Chile, circa 1812), and José Pedro Varela (Uruguay, 1845) highlighted this tension, challenging attempts to conceal it. However, these figures are often under-studied or misrepresented as isolated visionaries.

In light of contemporary critical challenges—such as diasporic post-nationalism, hypermediated post-democracy, the rise of populisms, and the changes in ways of accessing knowledge brought by new information technologies—it is valuable to explore how alternative media and popular agendas clashed with print culture during the formative years of Latin American supra-nationalism. This multidisciplinary panel invites papers that examine this conflict from the First Wave of Decolonization (circa 1781-1830) to the emergence of nation-states before the onset of modernism (circa 1830-1880).

We seek contributions that analyze works of authors who directly addressed the tensions between popular groups and print power. Additionally, we encourage re-readings of canonical literary and periodical works to highlight the friction between dominant print culture and alternative, popular media. Finally, we are interested in critical examinations of archival findings, including broadsides and ephemeral publications, as well as references in police records to insurgent speeches, gossip, songs, and other forms of alternative media.