Rebel Mexico: student unrest and authoritarian political culture during the long sixties

Abstract

Winner of the 2014 Mexican Book PrizeIn the middle of the twentieth century, a growing tide of activism in Mexico reached a level that could not be ignored, culminating with the 1968 movement. This book traces the rise, growth, and consequences of Mexico's student problem during the long sixties (1956-1971). Historian Jaime M. Pensado closely analyzes politics and youth culture during this period, as well as reactions to them on the part of competing actors. Examining unrest and youthful militancy in the forms of sponsored thuggery (porrismo), provocation, clientelism (charrismo estudiantil), and fun (relajo), Pensado offers insight into larger issues of state formation and resistance. He draws particular attention to the shifting notions of youth in Cold War Mexico and details the impact of the Cuban Revolution in Mexico's universities. In doing so, Pensado demonstrates the ways in which deviating authorities-inside and outside the government-responded differently to unrest, and provides a compelling explanation for the longevity of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional.