Anthropology and the Policy of Indigenism in Mexico in the 20th Century: Dialogues and Confrontations

Abstract

Over the course of the 20th century, complex relationships between anthropology and the state developed in Mexico: on the one hand, academic research was taken into account when state institutions were set up; on the other hand, the interests of the state, especially in issues related to nation-building, exerted an influence on the development of scholarly theories and concepts. The connection between academic research and the policy of indigenismo, whose foundations were laid by Manuel Gamio, underwent substantial changes over time. During the recent decades, it has been significantly influenced by various Indean movements, while the native peoples themselves have come into the focus of state policies. Anthropological research, in its own turn, has not lost connection with state policies for the most part; however, it has become more diverse at the same time.