Music and political imprisonment in Pinochet’s Chile
by CEDLA
- Date
- 10 April 2026
- Time
- 15:30 -17:00
- Location
- BG 3
- Room
- VOX-POP
Over 1,000 political imprisonment and torture centres existed across Chile during the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990). Music was often present in those centres, both as a response to, and in conjunction with, human rights violations.
In her new book Music and Political Imprisonment in Pinochet’s Chile (Oxford University Press, 2025), Dr. Katia Chornik explores the intersections between music, politics, memory, and human rights, discussing a broad range of music experiences and repertoire, and how these are remembered, preserved, and disseminated decades later. With a prologue by former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet, the book blends archival sources with personal interviews with ex-political prisoners, agents of secret services, and visitors to prisons.
In this talk, Chornik will present an overview of the book and two interlinked initiatives: the digital platform Cantos Cautivos (Captive Songs, www.cantoscautivos.org) and an ongoing UNESCO educational project. The talk will share breakthroughs and challenges of her journey, and the reasons why this work matters today.
Following Chornik’s lecture, Konstantin Mierau (University of Groningen) will provide a response and open the discussion. Drinks and nibbles will be served afterwards from 5 pm.
Katia Chornik is affiliated with the Centre of Latin American Studies at the University of Cambridge. She is the author of Music and Political Imprisonment in Pinochet’s Chile (2025) and Alejo Carpentier and the Musical Text (2015), and has published widely in academic and media outlets on Latin American politics, culture, history, and society. She is the founder of the digital archive Cantos Cautivos, which documents music associated with political imprisonment in Chile.
Dr. Konstantin Mierau is Associate Professor in European Culture and Literature at the Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen.
About Cedla
The Centre for Latin American Research and Documentation (CEDLA) Lecture Series is a public event programme that brings together international experts to share insights and new publications on Latin America. Each session features a 45-minute talk, followed by comments from a discussant and an open Q&A with the audience. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or simply curious about the region, you’re welcome to join the conversation. We’ll end the evening with drinks and nibbles at VOX-POP.
