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This paper compares publication practices among social scientists from northeastern Mexico who were trained within the country or abroad. It focus critically on late regional scientific development (2000-2020) under the influence of a national academic evaluation scheme strongly aligned to the global publication system. A quantitative analysis was carried out on a selection of self-reported scientific production by a sample of researchers. It was found that both profiles have assimilated the hegemonic publication criteria. Also, that those trained abroad generally have better performances (some linked to their social capital). But, nonetheless, regional collaborations that could contribute to a sustainable local scientific practice are moderately more frequent in locally trained researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the narratives of thirty-three former drug traffickers and analyses how they portray drug trafficking violence. Using a discourse analysis approach, this study reveals four different meanings att ached to this violence: a) drug trafficking violence as a business; b) violence as the ground rules of drug trafficking; c) drug trafficking violence as a source of adrenaline and empowerment, and; d) drug trafficking violence linked to the cult of the Holy Dead. Identifying and understanding each of these dimensions has significant implications for policy design. As this paper shows, each dimension has distinct origins, and serves a different purpose; therefore, each of them requires a different policy-making strategy for their containment and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the variables associated to the institutional preferences of political representatives using evidence from Mexico. The analysis is based upon elite surveys conducted on Mexican deputies elected to the 2003-2006 and 2006-2009 periods of Congress. It also relies on the political process that took place during the discussion of a reform initiative in 2011. The results show that the political preferences of lawmakers are influenced by such factors as the size of their party in the assembly, the executive-legislative relationships, and electoral expectations of parties. This paper underscores that strategic preferences and behavior may run in the opposite direction of the strengthening of democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to analyze how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of Nuevo León appropriate public government information oriented for them. To carry out the research 13 in-depth interviews were used, as well as 2 focus groups with 14 SMEs entrepreneurs of Nuevo Leon as participants, and a third focus group with 7 experts. In sum, 34 people were interviewed as part of the research activities of the Targeted Transaprency and SMEs Project of EGAP - BLD / FOMIN. The procedures of grounded theory were used in the analysis, which allows us to propose an explanation emerged from data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the difficult task of presidential government in Mexico. The methodological strategy is comparative, theoretical support referred to the new institutionalism and political leadership. The purpose is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the PAN government from 2006 to 2011. The governments of Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon have shown that the political system gives a weakness in building majorities in Congress. Divided government replaced the hegemonic party system. The dilemma of power sharing or split will be decisive in the final stretch of the administration of President Felipe Calderon. 2011 and half of 2012 will be an indicator of the stay and departure of PAN presidential power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crises are unexpected events that trigger and enable change in the policy regime. To analyze how the policy paradigm changes, this paper analyzes three different crises: Argentina in 2000-2003, Spain in 2008-2011, and Mexico in 1994-1996. The question of the article is: How does crisis trigger change in the policy regime? To answer, is shown that crisis destroy the preexisting government's coalitions, enable the formation of new coalitions that face the crisis that are also substituted after the crisis for a new coalition to institutionalize the new policy paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the operation of a governmental policy of poverty alleviation, Desarrollo Humano Oportunidades, in an indigenous community. Based on qualitative research results, it demonstrates how this program --which was designed as a standardized measure for the whole country-- presents challenges and complexities at the local level. First, it offers a brief description of Oportunidades' operation. Secondly, it explains the corporate government system (uses and customs) of an Oaxacan indigenous community and the local actors involved in Oportunidades. Then, it considers the impact of this policy in terms of the relationship between Oportunidades' actors and the uses and coustoms government officials. Finally, it offers some general guidelines to improve the operation of the program in indigenous communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monterrey, capital city of Nuevo León, has distinguished itself for an outstanding peripherical industrialization process that started at the end of the nineteenth century and achieved its consolidation during the twentieth. Monterrey is an unique object of study in the extent that it links the industrial structures with the development of a conservative local bourgeoisie, which has showed resistance toward the centralizing trends of the Mexican State. This paper presents the results of a content analysis of the city's most important newspaper, El Norte, in order to determine its role as a broadcaster and reinforcer of the local bussiness ideology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article analyzes the electoral campaigns in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, as a way to establish if these campaigns, as a fundamental part of the electoral and political processes, contribute to achieve a quality democracy. Based on the definition of a good quality democracy, we analyze the electoral campaigns and their institutional design: length, financing, political parties, access to the media, negative campaigns, political debates, government advertising during the campaigns, political parties fiscal accountability and their overall impact in the public participation. Finally, this paper outlines some proposals of improvement for the design of the electoral campaigns in Nuevo León. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]