Abstract

Research on student movements of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Unam) provides a prime perspective on the contemporary historiography of Mexico given the particularities of the subject of study. Student movements were dynamic and ever changing due to the nature of its demands, the escalation of protests and the profiles of the student body in the 20th century. This article provides an overview, from a political perspective, and identifies diverse lines of action pursued by the movements. It proposes three stages in which conflict occurred, from the founding of the University in 1910 until the end of the century. The first stage presents the politicization of the students in the post-revolutionary State, which is limited to a discussion of the ideological bases of the University. The second outlines the construction of Ciudad Universitaria until the end of the seventies, the debate on democracy and social duty of university actors. The last stage discusses the impact of education massification, the introduction of the neoliberal educational project and the internal conflicts arising in the institution over its management and its long-term sustainability.