The university and post-development: Seeking Alternatives to Higher Education in Latin America
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35362/rie9916988Keywords:
University for Post-Development, Latin America, higher education policies, text mining, mission statementsAbstract
This article analyses the presence of post-developmentalist ideas in the discourse of Higher Education Systems (HESs) in Latin America (LATAM), based on a study of institutional mission statements, legislative documents and strategic plans for Higher Education (HE) in 18 countries in the region. Using a quantitative approach and textual analysis tools, it explores the presence of seven post-developmentalist schools of thought. The results reveal an uneven circulation of these schools of thought, with greater visibility of decolonial thinking in Andean and Central American countries, and a lesser presence of proposals such as the ecology of knowledge or degrowth. The study shows that, although it is not yet possible to speak of a structural transformation towards a Post-Developmental University (PDU), there are signs of epistemic openness and symbolic dispute in the university field. These findings provide empirical evidence for post-developmentalist theories and offer food for thought for institutional actors and public policy makers interested in reimagining HE from the Global South.
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