Backbone.js: Keeping track of the element you insert into the DOM at render time

// pass in the $parentEl in the options so you can reference it.

render: function () {
  this.$el = $(this.template({
    ...
   })).appendTo(this.$parentEl);

  // Call delegateEvents() afterwards if you have 
  // events in your view you want bound to the
  // new this.$el
  this.delegateEvents();
}