Abstract
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.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aguirre Cárdenas, J. (1997). Interview by the author. Mexico, DF: Typed transcription.
Berdahl, R.O., Graham, J. and Piper, D.R. (1971). Statewide Coordination of Higher Education. Washington: American Council on Education.
Canales Sánchez, A. (2001). La Experiencia Institucional con los Programas de Estímulo: La UNAM en el período 1990-1996.México. DF: DIE, CINVESTAV.
Castañeda, M. (1987). No somos minoría: La movilización estudiantil, 1986-1987(1a ed.). México. DF: Editorial Extemporáneos.
De la Peña, L. (1997). Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Del Valle, J. (1997). Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Díaz Barriga, A. and Pacheco, T. (1997). Universitarios, institucionalización académica y evaluación(1st ed.). Coyoacán: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Coordinación de Humanidades Centro de Estudios sobre la Universidad.
Domínguez, R. (1986). El proyecto universitario del rector Barros Sierra: estudio histórico(1st ed.). México. DF: Universidad Autónoma de México.
García Téllez, I. (1970). La problemática educativa en México. México: Ediciones Nueva América.
Gumport, P. and Pusser, B. (1995). 'A case of bureaucratic accretion: context and con-sequences', Journal of Higher Education 66(5), 493-520.
Hardy, C. (1996). The Politics of Collegiality: Retrenchment Strategies in Canadian Universities. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Huacuja Rountree, M. and Woldenberg, J. (1976). Estado y lucha política en el México actual. México: Ediciones "El Caballito".
Imaz Gispert, C. (1997). Interview by the author. México. DF: typed transcription.
Jimenez Espriú, J. (1997). Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Jiménez Mier y Terán, F. (1987). El autoritarismo en el gobierno de la UNAM(2a corr. y aum. ed.). México. DF: Ediciones de Cultura Popular.
Kent Serna, R. (1990). Modernización conservadora y crisis académica en la UNAM(1st ed.). México. DF: Nueva Imagen.
Levy, D.C. (1980). University and Government in Mexico: Autonomy in an Authoritarian System. New York: Praeger.
Mabry, D.J. (1982). The Mexican University and the State: Student Conflicts, 1910-1971(1st ed.). College Station: Texas A&M University Press.
Madrazo Cuellar, J. (1997).Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcrition.
Martínez Della Rocca, S. (1997).Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Martuscelli, J. (1997). Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Millett, J.D. and Harcleroad, F.F. (1984). Conflict in Higher Education: State Government Coordination Versus Institutional Independence. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Morales Aragón, E. (1997).Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Moreno, R. (1990). La reforma universitaría de Jorge Carpizo de y su proyección actual(1st ed.). México: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
Muñoz, I. (1997). Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Ordorika, I. (1996). 'Reform at Mexico's National Autonomous University: Hegemony or Bureaucracy', Higher Education 31(4), 403-427.
Ordorika, I. (1999). Power, Politics, and Change in Higher Education: The Case of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Unpublished Ph.D.,Stanford University, Stanford, Ca.
Ordorika, I. (2001). 'Aproximaciones teóricas para el análisis del conflicto y el poder en la educación superior', Perfiles Educativos XXIII (91), 77-96.
Ordorika, I. (2002a). 'The Political Nature of Mexico's National Autonomous University', International Higher Education (26).
Ordorika, I. (2002b). Power and Politics in University Governance (Organization and Change at the National Autonomous University of Mexico). Forthcoming Fall 2002: Routledge.
Pacheco, T. and Díaz Barriga, A. (1997). La profesión: su condición social e institucional(1st ed.). México. DF: Miguel Ángel Porrúa.
Peimbert Sierra, M. (1997). Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Pérez Arreola, E. (1998). Interview by the author. Cd. Acuña, Mex.: Typed transcription.
Proceso (1977, May 16, 1977). 'Autoridades que utilizan porros', Proceso12-17.
Pusser, B. (1999). The Contest Over Affirmative Action at the University of California: Theory and Politics of Contemporary Higher Education Policy. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Pusser, B. and Ordorika, I. (2001). 'Bringing political theory to University Governance: The University of California and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México', in Smart J.C. (ed.), Higher education: handbook of theory and research. New York: Agathon. (Vol. XVI, pp. 147-194)
Ramírez, C. and Domínguez, R. (1993). El rector Ignacio Chávez: la universidad nacional entre la utopía y la realidad(1st ed.). México: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Coordinación de Humanidades Centro de Estudios Sobre la Universidad.
Rhoades, G.L. (1993). Beyond "the State": interorganizational relations and state apparatus in post-secondary education(Vol. VIII). New York: Agathon.
Romo Medrano, L.E. (1997). Un relato biográfico: Ignacio Chávez, rector de la UNAM(1st ed.). México: El Colegio Nacional.
Slaughter, S. (1993). 'Retrenchment in the 1980s: the politics of prestige and gender', Journal of Higher Education 64(3), 250-282.
Slaughter, S. and Leslie, L.L. (1997). Academic Capitalism: Politics, Policies, and the Entrepreneurial University.Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Slaughter, S. and Silva, E.T. (1985). 'Towards a political economy of retrenchment: the American public research universities', Review of Higher Education 8(4), 295-318.
Soberón Acevedo, G. (1997). Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcrition.
Villaseñor, G. (1992). Educación Sperior: Planeación y Realidad 1980-1990. In S. Martínez Della Rocca (ed.), Educación Superior y Desarrollo Nacional. México. DF: Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas, UNAM.
Villoro, L. (1998). Interview by the author. México. DF: Typed transcription.
Woldenberg, J. (1988). Historia documental del SPAUNAM(1st ed.). México: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales y Facultad de Economía: Ediciones de Cultura Popular.
Zusman, A. (1986). 'Legislature and University Conflict: The Case of California', Review of Higher Education 9(4), 397-418.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ordorika, I. The limits of university autonomy: Power and politics at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Higher Education 46, 361–388 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025382504110
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025382504110