Memory, identity and literacy. Violence and education in Mexico.

Professor César Correa (University of Guadalajara)

Rural normal schools established in Mexico between 1922 and 1945, have their origin in the revolutionary education policies and its historical path, at the beginning, follow the aims of the federal government and later, differing deeply from the interest of the Mexican authorities. These nearly hundred years old schools have been crossed by the intervention of various political and social agents who has been taking over this socio-educational national project from various interests and positions of power. The main objective of these normal schools is to bring education to the poor rural population, but at the same time, to struggle in front of social injustice and maintain the dignity of the poor. Some of the current problems of these schools, considered today as a subsystem of the Mexican Higher Educational System, are derived from a common origin, in a complex relationship between their relative autonomy and the control exercised by the Government.

This work analyses the relevance of rural normal schools in Mexico through a critical study of its history in the ideological construction of new teachers in the rural areas, from the period of the Mexican Revolution to the present day.

Also, we will study the main reasons of how these schools have allowed, a) the construction of a solid identity; b) the development of critical thinking based on a socialist ideology, which sometimes is identified as populist politics; c) the possibility of employment and subsistence to teachers, students enrolled and alumni from these schools having the possibility of leaving their situation of deprivation and poverty and perhaps, achieving a dignified life; d) the role played by the memory and oblivion of the facts regarding the historical and social conditions, the contradictions between memory and reconfiguration of action that has put in a violent contradiction between students, the Catholic Church, the local, state and federal government authorities and the crime groups; e) the construction of narratives about the legacy of these institutions in the political life of the country; and f) the development of critical thinking in the rural areas of Mexico and how these narratives are developed today.

Photo by Juan Pablo Correa Saldarriaga

Professor César Correa Arias holds a PhD in Science of Education. University of Toulouse, and a PhD in Education from University of Guadalajara. A master in Education at University of Medellín, A Diploma in International Cooperation Projects at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Professor Correa has developed an academic trajectory as a researcher in Colombia for 5 years and in Mexico for 15 years. He is a member of the National Research Council of Mexico. As well he is a member of the Sciences Academy of Jalisco, Mexico. Member of the Latin American Sociology Association. ALAS, member of the Tolousaine Researchers Association of Researchers, France. ATRIA and member of the research group: Individuals, Social movements and institutions. Professor Correa works as a full time researcher at the University of Guadalajara since 15 years ago. He is an Associated Professor at l’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, since 2012, and a Lecturer at the University of Granade, Spain, in the PhD. of Social Education.

He has participate in different scientific committees for international journals, he has participate as Chairman and as Academic Chief of international conferences in Europe, US, Latin America, Asia and Africa.

His administrative professional experience cover been a Coordinator of Human Resources and Health Education at the Social Care Institute of Colombia, a Chief of International Office at the University of Politecnico Colombiano, Director of Latin American affairs at the International Cooperation and Internationalization office at the University of Guadalajara, a Director of the Regional Center of Cooperation for Adult Education, in Mexico, and a Professor and Researcher at the University of Guadalajara; and finally as a member of different research and scientific networks designing and implementing and evaluating educational projects in Latin America and in France. He has been a Keynote Speaker in different international conferences in Education and Social Sciences. He has a strong experience analyzing educational policies, narrative and literacy processes and social inequalities.