AIBR. Asociación de Antropólogos Iberoamericanos en Red
An independent professional and scholarly network connecting anthropologists across the Ibero-American world.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
AIBR, formally Asociación de Antropólogos Iberoamericanos en Red, is an independent association and professional network serving anthropologists and the wider anthropology community in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. Its origins date to 1996, when the online portal El Rincón del Antropólogo was created. The portal was among the earliest Spanish-language internet resources devoted to anthropology and provided a foundation for the later development of a broader association and communications network. The organization was legally constituted in Spain in November 2002 and recognized by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior. Rather than operating as a university department, learned society attached to a single institution, commercial publisher, or political organization, AIBR presents itself as a private and independent initiative open to members from different professional and academic backgrounds. It is not affiliated with a university or other academic institution and does not identify with a political or religious creed. Its activities are supported by member subscriptions, projects, and other organizational activities. A central part of AIBR's work is the publication of AIBR. Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana, a peer-oriented scientific journal issued since 2001 in electronic and print formats. The journal has helped create a shared scholarly forum for anthropology in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world. It also sponsors the AIBR Best Article Award in Iberoamerican Anthropology, an annual distinction recognizing a strong article from the preceding year. Winning and shortlisted papers are published through the journal, linking professional recognition with dissemination of research. AIBR has also developed an international conference program. Its first AIBR International Conference of Anthropology was held in Madrid in July 2015 and attracted more than 800 delegates. Later editions were held in Barcelona in 2016, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in 2017, and Granada, Spain, in 2018. These meetings addressed broad disciplinary themes including human culture and destiny, identity and social boundaries, travel and displacement, and dialogues among different intellectual and geographical traditions. The program has featured prominent anthropologists and scholars, including Didier Fassin, Aurora González Echevarría, Arturo Escobar, Tim Ingold, Verena Stolcke, Manuel Delgado, Marc Augé, Nigel Barley, and Paul Stoller. The Granada meeting also introduced a two-person dialogue format focused on relationships between anthropology and feminism. The network has grown beyond its original web-portal identity. Reference material describes it as connecting more than 7,000 anthropologists from Spain, Portugal, and Latin American countries, although the date and methodology for that membership or network count are not specified. AIBR joined the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences in July 2005, giving the association an additional connection to the international institutional infrastructure of anthropology. Its principal functions are professional networking, scholarly publishing, conference organization, recognition of research, and the circulation of anthropological knowledge across Ibero-American contexts.
History
AIBR's institutional history began online in 1996 with the creation of El Rincón del Antropólogo, or The Anthropologist's Corner. The portal emerged during the early expansion of Spanish-language internet resources and served as a digital meeting point for people interested in anthropology. Its creation gave the initiative a transnational orientation from the outset, because anthropology students, researchers, and practitioners could communicate across national and institutional boundaries rather than relying exclusively on local universities or professional associations. The initiative developed into a formal association during the early 2000s. In November 2002, Asociación de Antropólogos Iberoamericanos en Red was legally constituted in Spain and recognized by the country's Ministry of the Interior. The legal structure established AIBR as an independent private association rather than a university-affiliated body. Its identity remained centered on networking and knowledge exchange across the Ibero-American world, with membership and participation open to people working in or interested in anthropology. The organization does not represent a political or religious movement and is not controlled by a university or academic institution. Publication became one of AIBR's most durable activities. AIBR. Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana has been published since 2001, appearing in both electronic and print forms and on a regular four-month cycle according to the reference material. The journal provides a platform for anthropological research and contributes to the circulation of scholarship among Spanish-, Portuguese-, and Latin American audiences. From 2013 onward, the association's journal also supported the AIBR Best Article Award in Iberoamerican Anthropology. The award recognizes an article from the previous calendar year, while the winning and shortlisted contributions receive publication through the journal. The award therefore combines professional recognition with the association's publishing mission. AIBR expanded its international profile through a conference series. The first AIBR International Conference of Anthropology took place in Madrid in July 2015 under the theme “The human being: cultures, origins, and destiny.” More than 800 delegates attended. Didier Fassin delivered the opening presentation and Aurora González Echevarría gave the closing lecture, illustrating the association's effort to bring established scholars into a broad professional forum. The second conference was held in Barcelona in September 2016 and addressed “Identity: Bridges, Thresholds, and Barriers.” Its program included contributions by Arturo Escobar, Tim Ingold, Verena Stolcke, and Manuel Delgado. In November 2017, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, hosted the third edition, themed “Travels, crossings, displacements.” It was the first AIBR conference held in the Americas and featured an inaugural lecture by Marc Augé. The fourth conference took place in Granada, Spain, around the theme “Dialogues, Encounters, and Stories from the Souths.” Nigel Barley opened the meeting and Paul Stoller delivered the closing plenary. Granada also introduced a new “Diálogo a Dos” format, with María Teresa del Valle and Mónica Tarducci discussing links between anthropology and feminism. The association's international connections were reinforced in July 2005 when AIBR joined the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences. Over time, the organization grew from a web portal into a network described as connecting more than 7,000 anthropologists in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The available reference does not specify the date of that figure or distinguish between formal members and wider network participants. AIBR's continuing model combines member subscriptions, projects, conferences, publishing, and other activities rather than commercial product sales. Its principal historical contribution has been to provide an independent infrastructure for anthropological communication and collaboration across Ibero-American contexts.
- 2018
Fourth international anthropology conference
[1]The Granada conference introduced the Diálogo a Dos format and addressed links between anthropology and feminism.
- 2017
First conference in the Americas
[1]The third conference took place in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the first AIBR conference hosted in the Americas.
- 2016
Second international anthropology conference
[1]The second conference was held in Barcelona and focused on identity and social boundaries.
- 2015
First international anthropology conference
[1]AIBR held its first international conference in Madrid, attracting more than 800 delegates.
- 2013
Introduction of the AIBR Best Article Award
[1]The association began awarding an annual prize for the best article in Iberoamerican anthropology from the preceding calendar year.
- 2005
Membership in the IUAES
[1]AIBR joined the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences.
- 2002
Legal constitution in Spain
[1]The association was legally constituted and recognized by Spain's Ministry of the Interior.
- 2001
Launch of AIBR. Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana
[1]AIBR began publishing its anthropology journal in electronic and print formats.
- 1996
Creation of El Rincón del Antropólogo
[1]The online anthropology portal El Rincón del Antropólogo was created, establishing the digital initiative from which AIBR later developed.
Products and positioning
An independent, transnational professional and scholarly network focused on connecting anthropologists, publishing research, and strengthening communication across Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking anthropology communities.
Academic journal · 2001
AIBR. Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana
AIBR's principal scholarly publication is a journal devoted to Ibero-American anthropology. It has appeared since 2001 in electronic and print formats and is issued every four months according to the available reference material. The journal supports the association's role as a platform for research communication and publishes the winning and shortlisted articles associated with the AIBR Best Article Award.
Academic conference · 2015
AIBR International Conference of Anthropology
The AIBR conference series brings together anthropologists and related scholars around broad disciplinary themes. Known editions were held in Madrid, Barcelona, Puerto Vallarta, and Granada between 2015 and 2018. The meetings combine plenary lectures, research presentations, and experimental formats such as Granada's two-person dialogue on anthropology and feminism.
Research award · 2013
AIBR Best Article Award in Iberoamerican Anthropology
An annual award sponsored by the AIBR journal recognizes an article published during the previous calendar year. The award is paired with publication of the winning and shortlisted papers, giving the distinction both a professional-recognition function and a scholarly dissemination function.
Digital anthropology portal · 1996
El Rincón del Antropólogo
El Rincón del Antropólogo was the early online portal from which AIBR developed. Created in 1996, it served as an early Spanish-language internet resource and meeting point for anthropology-related information and communication.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018Fourth AIBR International Conference
Spain · International anthropology community
The Granada meeting addressed “Dialogues, Encounters, and Stories from the Souths.” It included plenary sessions and introduced the Diálogo a Dos format, initially focusing on connections between anthropology and feminism.
Outcome. The event expanded the conference format beyond conventional plenary and presentation structures.
- 2017Third AIBR International Conference
Mexico · Latin America · International anthropology community
Held in Puerto Vallarta under the theme “Travels, crossings, displacements,” the event was the first AIBR conference hosted in the Americas.
Outcome. The conference extended AIBR's event geography beyond Europe and strengthened its connection with Latin American anthropology.
- 2016Second AIBR International Conference
Spain · International anthropology community
The Barcelona edition examined identity through the theme “Bridges, Thresholds, and Barriers” and featured plenary contributions from Arturo Escobar, Tim Ingold, Verena Stolcke, and Manuel Delgado.
Outcome. The conference continued AIBR's international program and broadened its platform for theoretical and regional dialogue.
- 2015First AIBR International Conference of Anthropology
Spain · International anthropology community
AIBR launched its international conference series in Madrid under the theme “The human being: cultures, origins, and destiny.” The meeting brought together more than 800 delegates and used prominent opening and closing lectures to frame the event as a major cross-border anthropology forum.
Outcome. The conference established a recurring international event platform for the association.
Brand decisions
2015
Expansion into an international conference programStrategyBackground
AIBR's network and publishing activities created a basis for a recurring in-person forum connecting anthropologists across national and institutional boundaries.
Action taken
AIBR organized its first International Conference of Anthropology in Madrid and subsequently continued the series in Europe and the Americas.
Aftermath
The conference series increased the association's international visibility and provided a recurring venue for disciplinary exchange.
2013
Creation of the Best Article AwardOtherBackground
The journal and association sought to recognize high-quality recent research while encouraging publication in AIBR's scholarly outlet.
Action taken
AIBR introduced an annual award for the best article from the previous calendar year, with winning and shortlisted articles published in the journal.
Aftermath
The award linked research recognition to the association's publishing and dissemination mission.
2001
Launch of the AIBR anthropology journalProduct launchBackground
AIBR needed a sustained scholarly publication channel to complement its online networking activities and support anthropology across Ibero-American settings.
Action taken
The association began publishing AIBR. Revista de Antropología Iberoamericana in electronic and print formats.
Aftermath
The journal became a central component of AIBR's publishing, award, and scholarly communication activities.
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