5th Annual Conference of the Caribbean Sociological Association (CASA)

The Caribbean Sociological Association (CASA) successfully concluded its 5th Annual Conference at the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI), September 24–26, 2025, as part of UCCI’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The gathering marked CASA’s largest conference to date, with over 60 papers delivered alongside roundtables and plenaries, drawing scholars, students, policymakers, and practitioners from across the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.

Held under the theme “Mobilising Caribbean Sociologies: Bridging Theory, Method, and Fields of Sociology for Sustainable Caribbean Development”, the conference provided a vital forum for advancing Caribbean-centered scholarship and development solutions.

Highlights

• Keynote Address: Dr. Alissa Trotz, Professor of Caribbean Studies at the University of Toronto, interrogated the benefits of transnational migration and remittances while urging Caribbean societies to craft homegrown responses to the social strains of migration.

• Plenary Sessions explored themes including sport and development, Haitian migration and CARICOM integration, comparative welfare systems, education and COVID-19, gender and entrepreneurship, and sexual labour and anti-trafficking.

• Panels and Roundtables examined a wide spectrum of topics: sexuality and agency; digital inequalities; poverty and family structures; decolonial scholarship; culture, food, and religion; health and environment; gender and social change; technology and AI; violence and masculinity; and the state of sociology globally.

• Youth Engagement: Young scholars and students from across the region presented their development perspectives, ensuring the voices of future leaders were central to the dialogue.

Outcomes

• CASA reaffirmed its commitment to making sociology a critical tool for Caribbean development, calling for its wider integration in schools, universities, and policy frameworks.

• The Association urged Caribbean societies to develop homegrown solutions to pressing social, economic, and cultural challenges, informed by research and rooted in local contexts.

• In line with CASA’s constitution, Dr. Duane Edwards, sociologist at the University of Guyana, was appointed President, succeeding Professor Livingston Smith. Dr. Stephaine Fullerton-Cooper, Associate Professor at UCCI, was elected as Vice President.

Recommendations to Caribbean Societies and Governments

Drawing from three days of rich discussions, the conference issued the following recommendations:

1. Migration & Diaspora – Balance the benefits of remittances with strategies to mitigate social costs; deepen diaspora engagement as a driver of community development.

2. Education & Sociology – Expand sociology teaching and research across the region as a foundation for critical thinking, policy innovation, and development planning.

3. Youth Empowerment – Institutionalize youth voices in policy design and governance to ensure intergenerational equity.

4. Sport & Development – Invest in sports as a catalyst for health, inclusion, cultural diplomacy, and economic opportunity.

5. Gender Equality & Justice – Address structural gender inequalities in labour, entrepreneurship, and leadership; confront gender-based violence and harmful masculinities.

6. Digital Transformation – Close digital divides by broadening access to technology, fostering AI literacy, and promoting digital inclusion for marginalized groups.

7. Health & Environment – Build resilient health systems that tackle inequities, environmental vulnerabilities, and the long-term impacts of COVID-19.

8. Decolonial Knowledge Production – Strengthen interdisciplinary, locally grounded scholarship that challenges imported models and advances Caribbean theories of society.

9. Economic Policy & Welfare – Design inclusive welfare systems and equitable economic policies that reduce poverty, especially for women, youth, and the elderly.

10. Culture, Food & Religion – Recognize cultural heritage, gastronomy, and spiritual traditions as essential assets for sustainable Caribbean identities and resilience.

11. Crime, Justice & Social Protection – Rethink punitive models of justice in favour of rehabilitation, social support, and pathways away from youth delinquency.

12. Inclusion of Sociologists - That Government and other agencies include sociologists and sociological research in policy development.

13. The next conference will be held in Guyana, a country undergoing remarkable transformation.

Closing Note

The 5th CASA Conference reaffirmed the indispensable role of sociology in shaping resilient, just, and sustainable Caribbean societies. CASA will continue to serve as a hub for research, collaboration, and advocacy, ensuring that Caribbean voices remain central in regional and global conversations about development.