Indigenous peoples’ pathways through different types of Mexican higher education
A legacy of colonialism in countries like Mexico has been the systematic exclusion of Indigenous peoples from key facets of contemporary society, and this is no less evident in the case of education in post-colonial societies. This paper theorises policy approaches that seek to redress Indigenous peoples’ educational exclusion, taking the case of reforms to Mexican higher education. We traced the paths of over 100 Indigenous youth as they progressed through different types of university – we researched their encounters and experiences at 4 types of institution. Through qualitative accounts of Indigenous peoples who experienced those reforms first hand, the paper argues that policy can go some way to creating more inclusive educational spaces, but these are not without their inherent contradictions and compromises, and it is not clear whether they will create more egalitarian outcomes in the long term. Based on these findings, we contend that education policy unaccompanied by wider social change which dismantles the power of dominant groups is unlikely to result in any broader impact beyond the university gates for minoritised Indigenous peoples.
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This is a hybrid event, held at UCL Institute of Education (Room 784) and online on MS Teams. You can designate your mode of attendance when registering.
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Michael Donnelly is Professor at the Department of Education of the University of Bath, having received his PhD from Cardiff University. His research interests are focused on geographies of education, youth transitions and contemporary social change, and indigeneity and education. His current projects are “Geographies of higher education: social and spatial (im)mobilities” (ESRC Future Research Leader Grant), Indigeneity and Pathways through Higher Education (ESRC Standard Grant).
Judith Pérez Castro is a Researcher at the Research Institute on the University and Education (IISUE) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Having previously earned her PhD in Sociology at The College of Mexico, her research interests are focused on inequality and higher education, educational policies for vulnerable groups, and indigeneity and education.
Her current projects are “Indigeneity and pathways through higher education in Mexico” (ESRC Standard Grant), and “Higher education and inclusion. Public policy analysis from the perspective of students with disabilities”.
