University of Texas at Austin
Governor Ann Richards; Dr. Sheldon Ekland Olson, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Lic. Teodoro Alonso, Cónsul de Mexico Encargado here in Austin; Distinguished Out-of-town-Guests; Colleagues and friends. On behalf of the Mexican Center of the Institute of Latin American Studies, it is my pleasure and privilege to welcome you to the University of Texas.
This conference on "Women in Mexican Politics and Political Life" forms part of a series of bi-national research meetings mounted by the Mexican Center of ILAS and sponsored in part by a grant from the Ford Foundation in Mexico City. On this occasion the conference is being organized by Dr. Victoria Rodríguez of the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs here at the University of Texas. I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Rodríguez and her Policy Research Project team of graduate students, not only for the success of the research project itself around which this meeting is built, but for having brought such a distinguished group of academics and Mexican women from all walks of political life here to Austin for this conference. It is, indeed, a stellar group, and on behalf of the University may I say how much we appreciate that you have given up your time in coming to Austin in order to share with us your thoughts and ideas.
In travelling to Austin, many of you may have asked yourselves "Why am I doing this? Why am I going to Austin, Texas, to participate in a Congress about Women in Mexican Politics? For Heaven's Sake, it is not even as though Governor Richards is still governor." Well, may I offer you three good reasons why it is perfectly appropriate that you should be here in Austin today? First, to have an opportunity to exchange ideas with Govenor Richards and some of her former staff and appointees in government -- many of whom were women -- about the challenges facing women in contemporary political life. Secondly, you have come to the largest campus of Mexicanist scholars anywhere in the world outside of Mexico itself. There are no less than 55 faculty whose principal research interests focus upon Mexico or upon U.S.-Mexico relations -- naturally spread across a variety of disciplines and many major research focii. This large faculty draws in and stimulates research and teaching, and provides for a large critical mass that allows this University to offer international leadership in Mexican studies, research, and in sensitizing the American public about Mexico's culture and about its development process. The Benson Latin American Library Collection and the Institute of Latin American Studies itself are recognized as being the foremost ranking institutions of their kind in the country, and probably in the world. Our ongoing bilateral relations with Mexican institutions, together with the regular presence of academics and practitioners from Mexico at conferences such as this one, provides an important stimulus to the advancement of Mexican studies at this University and in the United States at large.
And the third reason why I believe it is appropriate that you should come here rather than meet in Mexico to discuss this topic is that it would not happen in Mexico -- at least not in the same way. In Mexico people often say to me that one of the most exciting aspects of meeting here in Austin is that it provides a neutral space in which political imperatives may be broached without consideration of political or academic institutional rivalries. For two days, at least, one doesn't have to worry about conflicting schedules, about important phone calls to place. One doesn't even have to be overly concerned about the press or about scoring political points that will make tomorrow's headlines -- or at least not too concerned. In short, it is a "time- out", and a forum for reflection. Three good reasons -- and if you weren't already convinced that you had acted wisely in giving up your time and in some cases contributed your own resources in order to be here, then I hope this little homily may have helped. Thank you all for coming. As we say here in the United States Enjoy!