Imanol Ordorika

International rankings and the contest for university hegemony

In just a decade, the international university rankings have become dominant measures of institutional performance for policy-makers worldwide. Bolstered by the façade of scientific neutrality, these classification systems have reinforced the hegemonic model of higher education – that of the elite, Anglo-Saxon research university – on a global scale. The process is a manifestation of what Bourdieu and Wacquant have termed US “cultural imperialism.” However, the rankings paradigm is facing growing criticism and resistance, particularly in regions such as Latin America, where the systems are seen as forcing institutions into a costly and high-stakes “academic arms race” at the expense of more pressing development priorities. That position, expressed at the recent UNESCO conferences in Buenos Aires, Paris, and Mexico City, shows the degree to which the rankings have become a fundamental element in the contest for cultural hegemony, waged through the prism of higher education.

The limits of university autonomy: Power and politics at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

The nature and extent of institutional autonomyat the Universidad Nacional Autónomade México (UNAM) has been a matter ofcontention between academics, policy makers anduniversity members for many years. Opinionsabout governmental influence over theuniversity in Mexico range from absoluteautonomy to absolute control. Few of them,however, are founded on research on university-government relations. Most studies ofuniversity autonomy in Mexico are based onclassical definitions and pluralist politicalperspectives that limit a thoroughunderstanding of this relation between theUniversity and the government in the context ofan authoritarian State. This article providesan alternative perspective on the nature andlimits of autonomy at UNAM based on conflicttheories, resource dependency and theories ofpower.

Imagining Alternativas to Global, Corporate, New Economy Academic Capitalism

In this article, the authors detail the conditions and patterns of academic capitalism and the new economy in US higher education. Subsequently, a conceptual model is offered for considering the international reach and national and local patterns of academic capitalism. Further, a distinctive Mexican case of entrepreneurialism is offered. The article concludes with a discussion of alternatives for a model of a universidad latinoamericana that is grounded in the historical role of Latin American universities.

Reform at Mexico's National Autonomous University: Hegemony or Bureaucracy

Mexicos National Autonomous University (UNAM) is the most important higher education institution in this country. Although there seems to be broad consensus on the need for a profound transformation of this University, most attempts in the last 25 years have failed to generate the required reforms. The limitations and obstacles for university reform at UNAM are analyzed in this article. The established power relations and the bureaucratization process are identified as the main political and structural limitations for change. The dominating system at UNAM is analyzed in a historical perspective emphasizing the cultural elements in the conformation of the dominant discourse and alliance. Confrontation and conflict within the University and against external power structures are traced in this historical analysis and exhibited as permanent components in the modern history of UNAM. The existence of a legitimacy crisis in the governance structure of this University is argued in terms of the erosion of the prevailing dominating system, expressed in the open manifestation of inherent contradictions through social conflicts directed against the bureaucracy; the permanent challenge to rules, regulations and established procedures; the lack of academic leadership; and the internal dissent and the deficient articulation within the dominant block. Finally, the building of a new hegemony at UNAM (through a redefinition of the concept of university reform, the reconstruction of the social fabric, the establishment of new constituencies, a rebuilding of collegial relations, and the founding of a new pact with the Mexican State), is shown to be a unique path towards university reform.

Teorías críticas del Estado y la disputa por la educación superior en la era de la globalización

The authors of this work have, for some time, addressed the study of changein higher education institutions from a political sociological perspective, andbased on theories on the State and power. A re-politicization of universities canbe identified due, in large part, to the new competing demands that generatestructural tensions: to produce skilled manpower for the global market, to takea leading role in promoting the “knowledge economy,” and to democratize accessfor disadvantaged groups, among other requirements. In this context, theauthors argue that it is even more necessary to analyze this institutions froma theoretical framework which takes into account the power relations withinand without these institutions. Finally, an analytical perspective focused onhegemony is proposed, which permits increased understanding of the majorchanges facing higher education institutions in the era of globalization.

The Impact of Government Policies on the Profiles and Attitudes of Academics in Two Emerging Economies: Brazil and Mexico

Of the roughly a dozen Latin American universities that figure in the international rankings, half are Brazilian, while just one is Mexican. This disparity is largely the result of the differences between the two countries’ economic development models. Since the 1960s or before, Brazilian higher education policy has focused on developing a competitive research sector as part of a broader strategy for economic development. In contrast, Mexican government policies have largely focused on increasing access to higher education, with limited investment in science and technology. Such differences appear to have an impact on the perceptions of academics in both countries toward their profession, as well as in their scientific production. In this paper we examine the differences and similarities between the academic professions in Latin America’s two largest nations, using the results from the CAP survey of academics in Brazil and Mexico. In particular, we examine data in the following areas: professional trajectories and profiles; education levels; workplace conditions; teaching and research activities; levels of scientific production; and opinions and attitudes toward academic activities.