The UCLA Program on Mexico, which supports research and studies on the nation, has been expanded into the Center for Mexican Studies, highlighting the growing importance of Mexican issues and offering more resources for interested graduate students and faculty.
The idea behind the expansion is for Mexican studies to have a higher profile in the university’s structure, said Ruben Hernandez-Leon, the current director of the Center for Mexican Studies.
The higher profile will help the center attract funds and identify potential support for research and programs, he said, allowing the center to bring visiting faculty and guest speakers to UCLA and fund research for undergraduates.
The expansion will also strengthen UCLA’s ability to promote student and faculty exchanges with different Mexican universities, he added.
The new center will bring Mexico to the forefront through research on topics such as political economy, domestic politics and migration, said Jorge Bravo, an assistant professor in political science and an affiliate of the center.
Since UCLA is located in Los Angeles, which has a large Mexican American population, it makes sense that research on Mexico is made salient and visible, he added.
Transforming the former program into a center increases the program’s visibility, said Randal Johnson, director of the UCLA Latin American Institute.
When the UCLA Program on Brazil expanded into the Center for Brazilian Studies, the center received media coverage in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
Similarly, members of the Mexican press were present during last week’s inaugural ceremony at the Fowler Museum that commemorated the expansion. Participants enjoyed an afternoon of Mexican music and speeches from dignitaries including the Mexican consul general in Los Angeles.
By expanding the program into a center, funding will increase slightly, but it will still manage on a shoestring budget, Johnson said.
However, the new center will have the capacity to engage in more fundraising from non-university sources including foundations, government grants and the private sector, he added.
Johnson included that he believes the center will be beneficial to the community in various ways.
One of the goals of the center is to create a course on Latin American literature and creative writing, with the partnership of the University of Guadalajara. The class would be offered to undergraduates at UCLA and Latino students in Los Angeles, he said.
Next year, the center will celebrate a year-long celebration of the bicentennial of Mexican independence and centennial of the Mexican Revolution. The celebration will include film screenings, art exhibits, lectures and conferences that will enrich student opportunities for those interested in Mexico, Hernandez-Leon said.
The center will also be working with faculty to create more courses for the minor in Mexican studies and train new “Mexicanists,” or specialists on Mexico.
The center will also serve as a clearinghouse in the community for media from the Los Angeles area and beyond, he said. Hernandez-Leon said he hopes that when the media wishes to gather informed opinions on Mexico, they will come to the center.