ASOCOPI for the Periphery: ELT Development in the Caribbean Region from 1989 to 2018

The history of the Colombian Association of Teachers of English (ASOCOPI) has been linked to political aspirations to build a sense of unity and belonging from the center to the country's periphery. The strategic mobility of annual congresses organized by ASOCOPI has led to partnership efforts that depict the association's struggles to improve and maintain a locus of enunciation in which all regions of Colombia can feel represented. The licenciatura programs in English language teaching in the Caribbean region have faced difficulties gaining quality and exposure; their advocacy and academic work in intercultural understanding and regional cultural repertoires call for greater attention and recognition. The imbalance of power between ELT communities in the Colombian capital and those in the periphery will be examined using the center-periphery metaphor. This article examines the presence of ASOCOPI in the Colombian Caribbean region from 1989 to 2018, analyzing its contribution to the advancement of the English language teaching profession and its possible impact on the region. Critical concerns about the senses of association and representation will be addressed by document analysis procedures combined with the authors' autobiographical data.