About LACSIN

The Latin America and Caribbean Security and Intelligence Network (LACSIN) was established in 2024 as a cross-faculty research initiative between Leiden University’s Faculties of Governance and Global Affairs and Humanities. The network is coordinated by Dr. Zakia Shiraz, Institute of Security and Global Affairs and Dr. Håvar Solheim, Institute for History.

LACSIN brings together scholars, practitioners, government agencies, and the diplomatic community to develop novel and interdisciplinary approaches to addressing key areas of security and intelligence in Latin America and the Caribbean. Topics include transnational organised crime, violent conflict, peace negotiations, urban violence, policing,  maritime security, intelligence and international security cooperation.

The network is connected to two five-year research projects at Leiden University that commence in 2024: Intelligence in the Global South (GLOBALINT), led by Zakia Shiraz, and Managing Security in Complex Transnational and Local Settings: EU-Latin American Crime-Fighting Efforts since the 1980s, led by Håvar Solheim.

Two annual events will be held across the Leiden and Den Haag campuses: an annual lecture and panel discussion. Details of the events for the academic year 2024/25 will be published in due course.

Organising committee

• Dr. Zakia Shiraz, Assistant Professor in Intelligence and Security, Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University
• Dr. Håvar Solheim, Assistant Professor at the Institute for History, Leiden University

Contact LACSIN 

• (in)security
• carribean
• conflict
• latin america