Upcoming Conferences

Crime, Insecurity, Fear in Mexico: Ethnographic and Policy Approaches
An Interdisciplinary Workshop

Columbia University, New York City
Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14, 2009
School of International and Public Affairs
420 West 118th Street, Room 1512

Crime in multiple forms has become one of the key issues in public life in contemporary Mexico. The country has witnessed a spectacular increase in organized criminal activities throughout its territory. Since the economic crisis of the mid-1990s, criminal rates have increased rapidly and some particularly violent crimes has overtaken the media. The amount of resources, both state and private, spent on crime prevention and law enforcement has also multiplied. At the same time, insecurity and police corruption have become central public concerns. Today, Mexicans largely evaluate the performance of their local, state and national governments on their ability to deal with crime, while international perceptions of Mexico are increasingly dominated by the problem of crime. 

As a response to these trends, a vast literature on the problem of insecurity in Mexico has appeared in recent years. Many studies privilege a quantitative and policy-oriented perspective, emphasizing state institutions as the key to reduce crime to manageable levels. Recent work is also exploring cultural phenomena and class relations, as they are integral elements of the conflicts and meaning of crime for contemporary Mexican society. Their studies explore the impact of crime on everyday life and the role of civil society in dealing with conflict and promoting prevention.

“Crime, Insecurity, Fear in Mexico” will establish a dialogue that incorporates different perspectives on a topic of great importance for Mexico and its neighbors. The workshop will bring together scholars from different disciplines—such as history, anthropology and sociology—whose research engages crime in Mexico from a sociocultural perspective. The first day of the workshop will explore ethnographic approaches to crime and policing. The second day of the workshop will focus on the problems of gathering reliable data about trends and distribution of crime, and of translating that knowledge into public policy and informed public discussion.


FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009
9:15 - 9:30 Welcoming remarks
Pablo Piccato, Columbia University
 
9:30 - 11:30 Panel 1. Ethnographies of the Police

“(In)Security and Policing in a Marginalized Mexico City Neighborhood: Perceptions, Experiences and Practices”--- Markus-Michael Müller, Freie Universität Berlin
“Güeros, Street Vendors and Policemen: The Rescue of Public Space in Mexico City’s Historic Center” --- Alejandra Leal, Columbia University
“’De este delito por el que vengo’: Historias de Vida de Policías Sentenciados por Secuestro --- Elena Azaola, CIESAS-México (In Spanish)
Comments: Daniel Goldstein, Rutgers University

11:30 - 11:45 Coffee Break

11:45 - 1:15 Panel 2. Criminal Visibilities
“The Other Side of Transparency and Zero Tolerance:An Ethnography of Secrecy and Revelation Among
"Gang Members in Tepito” ---  Regnar Kristensen, University of Copenhagen
“Santa Muerte as Counterphobic: Economies of Anxiety Glimpsed trough Ritual” --- Laura Roush, Colegio de Michoacán
Comments: Sudhir Venkatesh, Columbia University
 
1:15 - 2:15 Lunch Break

2:15 - 4:15 Panel 3. The Violence of Traffic
“The Trafficker in Public” --- Rihan Yeh, University of California, San Diego
“Controlling The Message” --- Alfredo Corchado, Dallas Morning News
Comments: Mary Roldán, Hunter College

4:30 - 6:00 Panel 4. Measuring Crime and Evaluating Security: Recent Trends and Data
“Evaluando Policías y Seguridad Pública: Perfil de la Policía Preventiva en la Zona Metropolitana de Guadalajara” --- María Eugenia Suárez, Universidad de Guadalajara (In Spanish)
“Crime and Violence Indicators in Mexico” --- David Shirk, University of San Diego
Comments: Christopher Weiss, Columbia University

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14
9:30 - 11:30 Panel 5. Debating Public Policy
“The Role of the Media in the Reconstruction of the Police” --- Sigrid Arzt, Centro de Análisis y Diálogo sobre América del Norte
“Prevención del delito”--- Joel Ortega, Former Secretary of Public Security, Mexico City (In Spanish)
“Creating New Institutional Spaces for Confronting Crime and Insecurity: Examples from Mexico City” --- Diane Davis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Comments: Desmond Arias, John Jay College

11:30 – 11:45 Coffee Break

11:45 - 1:15 Summary Panel
Alfred Stepan, Columbia University

Sponsors:
Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University
Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, Columbia University
Trans-Border Institute, University of San Diego
Tinker Foundation
Hewlett Foundation 

To learn about other events taking place at ILAS, please visit our events page.