“Witch doctors” or Professionals? The Graduates of Mexico´s First Intercultural University and the Struggle for Legitimacy

Oct 15, 2026

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Since 2003, the Mexican government has created 11 intercultural universities serving about 15,000 students, most from Mexico’s Indigenous minority. While existing research often evaluates the intercultural model through policy and theory, far fewer studies examine student and graduate experiences. Using interviews with graduates, students, and deans from three undergraduate intercultural programs at the Intercultural University of Mexico State, the study evaluates whether intercultural education empowers Indigenous students or reproduces inequality. Findings are mixed: graduates report workplace discrimination and being ridiculed as “witch-doctors,” yet also describe empowerment, changed cultural identities, and renewed appreciation for Indigenous roots.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

SPECIAL ISSUE: Student Experience in Latin American Higher Education

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Abstract

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SPECIAL ISSUE Student Experience in Latin American Higher Education education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University | Volume 29 Number 160 | November 22 , 2021 | ISSN 1068-2341 | | --- | --- | --- | “Witch doctors” or Professionals? The Graduates of Mexico´s First Intercultural University and the Struggle for Legitimacy Marion Lloyd Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico Citation: Lloyd, M. (2021) .“Witch doctors” or professionals? The graduates of Mexico´s first intercultural university and the struggle for legitimacy. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29(160) . [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.6384](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.6384) This article is part of the special issue, Student Experience in Latin American Higher Education, guested edited by María Verónica Santelices and Sergio Celis. Abstract: Since 2003, the Mexican government has opened 11 intercultural universities serving a total of 15,000 students, a majority of whom are members of Mexico´s Indigenous minority. While there is a growing body of work analyzing the intercultural model from public policy and theoretical perspectives, few studies focus on the experiences of the students and graduates of these institutions. In this article, I share the findings of one such study of the Intercultural University of Mexico State, the pioneer of the intercultural universities. Through interviews with graduates, students, and deans of three undergraduate intercultural programs, I seek to answer a central question, which is rooted in critical and decolonial theory: To what degree does the intercultural model achieve its stated mission of empowering Indigenous students and to what degree does it contribute to the reproduction of inequality? In general, the findings are mixed. While many students share experiences of discrimination in the workplace, and even being derided as “witch-doctors,” they argue that attending an institution with a critical mass of Indigenous students has empowered them personally and professionally, transformed their cultural identities, and given them a new appreciation for their Indigenous roots. Keywords: Mexico; intercultural universities; Indigenous students; decoloniality; stigma; labor market ¿“Brujos” o profesionistas? Los egresados de la primera universidad intercultural en México y la lucha por la legitimidad Resumen: Desde 2003, el gobierno mexicano ha creado 11 universidades interculturalesque atienden a un total de 15,000 estudiantes, la mayoría de ellos miembros de minoríasindígenas del país. Aunque existe un creciente número de estudios que analizan el modelo intercultural desde perspectivas teóricas y de política pública, muy pocos se enfocan en lasexperiencias de los estudiantes y egresados de estas universidades. En este artículo, secomparten los resultados de una investigación en la Universidad Intercultural del Estado de México, la pionera de las universidades interculturales en el país. A través de entrevistas con egresados, estudiantes y directores de tres programas interculturales a nivellicenciatura, se busca problematizar una pregunta central, que parte de un enfoque crítico ydecolonial: ¿En qué medida logra el modelo intercultural su misión de empoderar a los estudiantes indígenas y en qué grado contribuye a la reproducción de la desigualdad? En general, los hallazgos son mixtos. Mientras algunos estudiantes comparten experiencias de discriminación en el trabajo, inclusive siendo tachados de “brujos” o “chamanes”, otrosafirman que la experiencia de asistir a una institución con una masa crítica de estudiantes indígenas les ha empoderado de forma personal y profesional, provocando transformaciones en sus identidades culturales y dotándoles de un nuevo aprecio por sus raíces indígenas. Palabras-clave: México; universidades interculturales; estudiantes indígenas; estigma; decolonialidad; mercado laboral “Fe

FAQs

What question does the study use to evaluate Mexico’s intercultural university model?

It asks to what degree the intercultural model fulfills its mission of empowering Indigenous students and to what degree it contributes to reproducing inequality.

How was the research conducted?

The study draws on interviews with graduates, students, and deans from three undergraduate intercultural programs at the Intercultural University of Mexico State.

What are the study’s main findings about graduates’ experiences?

Results are mixed: many report workplace discrimination and are derided as “witch-doctors,” while others describe personal and professional empowerment, identity transformation, and greater appreciation for Indigenous roots.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca