Mexico: Public Education and Training of a Social Science Researcher

Abstract

This text reproduces the full version of the lecture delivered by Gustavo Garza at the solemn session of the University Council of the Autonomous University of Puebla, on November 20, 2014, when he was awarded an honorary doctorate. Dr. Garza’s central argument is that social scientists do not simply emerge as a result of genetics, vocation or virtuosity but are the product of public university research institutions within the social,economic and political context in which they operate, in addition to certain subjectiveattributes. He uses his life at university and as a researcher to demonstrate this approach,chronologically charting his studies and major publications: Faculty of Economics,Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, first alma mater (1962-1967); El Colegio deMexico, second alma mater (1967-1969); self-taught in urban economics (1970-1976);University of Cambridge, third alma mater (1972-1973); individual researcher, unam,fourth alma mater (1975-1985); two decades of conventional books (1985-2005); towardsa school of urban political economy (2005-2014); buap, fifth alma mater. Dr. Garzaconcludes by saying that as a measure to reverse the serious criminal violence underminingand threatening to devastate Mexico, the academic quality of public universitiesshould be strengthened to train more and better students and researchers.