Every knowledge producer linked to an institution has experienced the imperatives that, through rules and hierarchies, channel the production of knowledge and limit the results generated there. Common practices of the institutions involved in the production of knowledge are: the imposition of methods, theories that do not explain local contexts, or the exclusion of voices considered illegitimate for the production of knowledge. Any researcher attached to an institution must deal with a superlative valuation of certain means of scientific dissemination and with little interest in disseminating contributions that escape the main stream. As if that were not enough, bureaucracy is a permanent obstacle to scientific work.

The authors of “La horizontalidad en las instituciones: ¿Perspectiva o paradoja?” (Engl.: “Horizontality in institutions: Perspective or paradox?”) explore and elaborate critical visions from their respective research experiences. It is a reflection on knowledge and institutions that covers very diverse areas: science and technology, international cooperation, education and culture, as well as the production of knowledge in health and judicial institutions.

In the face of organizations that rationalize and limit the emergence of original and novel thinking to confront the innumerable problems and global crises, this book reflects on how to create institutional conditions that favor the processes of scientific autonomy. Is the horizontality of knowledge in institutions a realistic project or rather two antithetical and irreconcilable scenarios? Is it a perspective or a paradox?

Within the framework of the FIL XXXVI, this new book, product of the cooperation of members of the network of researchers of horizontal production of knowledge, will be launched on Wednesday, November 30th, 2022, at 18.00 in Hall C of the international area at Expo Guadalajara. The presenters will be Marx Arriaga Navarro (Director of Educational Materials of the Ministry of Public Education (SEP)) and José Manúel Valenzuela Arce (distinguished researcher of the Colegio de la Frontera Norte (Colef).