27 mar 2025
As part of the activities for the course “Decoloniality, Identity, Resistance,” taught by Dr. Héctor García Chávez and Dr. Christopher Hernández to a group of students from Loyola University Chicago, a visit to Ciudad Universitaria was organized, where the participants had the opportunity to tour the Central Campus of the UNAM, which has been declared a cultural heritage site by UNESCO.
During the visit, they had a talk with Mtro. Rubén Ruiz Guerra from the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. The central theme of the talk was the UNAM and its place in the history of 20th-21st century Mexico. He also discussed the historical relations between Mexico and the United States, as well as some moments of tension between the two countries.
Other places the group visited included the Universidad Iberoamericana, the Colegio de San Ildefonso, the Palace of Fine Arts, the archaeological site in Teotihuacan, Chapultepec Castle, and the Cathedral.
As preparation for the course, they visited the Newberry Library in Chicago, an allied institution of the UNAM's Humanities Coordination, to view and discuss important documents housed there, such as the Popol Vuh and other colonial texts, including a map of Mexico-Tenochtitlan published in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1524.
Upon returning to Chicago, one student commented:
“The trip to UNAM was revelational; I had never seen a college campus built so harmoniously with art. Hearing ‘Representación Histórica de la Cultura’ explained before meeting and listening to Professor Rubén Ruiz Guerra talk, was a powerful way to learn about México and Latin America.” (Noah Reese-Clauson, Senior)
