University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Social Sciences
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| University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Social Sciences | |
|---|---|
| Name | Faculty of Social Sciences |
| Native name | Facultad de Ciencias Sociales |
| Established | 1988 |
| Type | Public |
| City | Buenos Aires |
| Country | Argentina |
| Campus | Ciudad Universitaria |
| Affiliation | University of Buenos Aires |
University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Social Sciences is a constituent faculty of the University of Buenos Aires established in 1988 to centralize social science teaching previously dispersed across the university. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs and hosts research institutes that engage with Argentine and Latin American political, sociological, anthropological and communication debates. The faculty operates within the university's Ciudad Universitaria complex and engages with national institutions, international universities, and civil society organizations.
History
The faculty was created in the aftermath of the National Reorganization Process and during the Return to Democracy in Argentina (1983–1989), responding to demands for institutional reform following the policies of the Military dictatorship (Argentina, 1976–1983). Its founding built on earlier departments and chairs located in the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, the Faculty of Law and other units associated with scholars influenced by figures like Juan Bautista Alberdi, Carlos Octavio Bunge, José Ingenieros, and contemporaries tied to the CONICET research system. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s the faculty expanded programs amid debates involving actors such as Néstor Kirchner, Carlos Menem, and social movements including Movimiento de Trabajadores Desocupados. Episodes like the Argentine economic crisis (1998–2002) shaped curricular emphases and public engagement.
Organization and Administration
Governance follows the tripartite co-governance model characteristic of the University of Buenos Aires as established in statutes shaped by the legacy of the University Reform of 1918. Administrative structure includes a Dean’s office, Academic Council, and departmental secretariats coordinating divisions influenced by traditions from the Escuela de Sociología de Buenos Aires and comparative links to institutions such as FLACSO, Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, and international partners like London School of Economics, Universidade de São Paulo, and University of California, Berkeley. Administrative decisions interact with public authorities including the Ministry of Education (Argentina) and research funding from Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica and CONICET.
Academic Programs
The faculty offers Licenciatura and Profesorado degrees in fields rooted in traditions associated with scholars like José Antonio Wilde and disciplinary trajectories connected to Max Weber, Émile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Latin American theorists such as José Carlos Mariátegui and Raúl Prebisch. Programs include Sociology, Political Science, Social Anthropology, Social Work, and Communication, with postgraduate offerings including Master’s and Doctoral programs that collaborate with networks like CLACSO, Latin American Council of Social Sciences, and exchange agreements with Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, University of Salamanca, and Sciences Po. Curricula integrate methodological training referencing works by Pierre Bourdieu, Michel Foucault, Norbert Elias, and applied research linked to agencies like Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos.
Research and Institutes
Research is conducted through specialized institutes and centers with thematic emphases comparable to units such as CONICET institutes and international entities like Max Planck Society centers. Notable internal units engage with topics related to urban studies connected to the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, gender and sexuality dialogues involving references to Judith Butler and Simone de Beauvoir, labor studies intersecting with histories of Confederación General del Trabajo, and media research drawing on traditions from Harvard University and University of Chicago communication studies. The faculty publishes journals and collaborates in regional projects with Mercosur research platforms and participates in international conferences such as those organized by ISA and ECPR.
Campus and Facilities
Located in Ciudad Universitaria, the faculty shares facilities with other University of Buenos Aires faculties and benefits from proximity to institutions like Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín" and cultural venues such as Teatro Colón in the wider city context. Facilities include lecture halls, computer labs, libraries holding collections related to Argentine and Latin American social thought featuring authors like Horacio González and archival materials connected to political events like the Dirty War. The campus supports audiovisual studios for Communication programs and spaces for community outreach linked to municipal programs in neighborhoods such as La Boca and Recoleta.
Student Life and Activities
Student life is animated by federations and clubs rooted in traditions of the University Reform of 1918 and contemporary organizing within the Federación Universitaria de Buenos Aires and student centers aligned with national political currents exemplified by parties like Frente de Todos and Juntos por el Cambio. Activities include study groups referencing authors like Hannah Arendt and Antonio Gramsci, newspaper collectives, human rights initiatives associated with Madres de Plaza de Mayo and cultural events engaging with institutions like the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Student-run research networks collaborate with labor unions such as Unión Obrera Metalúrgica and NGOs including Fundación Huésped.
Notable Alumni and Faculty
Alumni and faculty have included public intellectuals, politicians, and researchers who have shaped Argentine and Latin American debates, associated with figures and institutions like Néstor Kirchner, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Horacio González, Heinz Dieterich, Tomas Abraham, Carlos Corach, Juan José Sebreli, Atilio Boron, Esther Díaz, and links to bodies such as CONICET and CLACSO. Scholars connected to the faculty have participated in national policy formations and international dialogues alongside universities like Columbia University and University of Oxford.