Activism and research: recovering the concept of value neutrality in the formation of ideal types

El presente artículo discute la propuesta metodológica weberiana de tipo ideal como una manera de encontrar neutralidad-libertad valorativa en la investigación social contemporánea, la cual exige un mayor involucramiento de los investigadores con los problemas prácticos que ocurren a su alrededor. En la actualidad, el individualismo metodológico es una de las metodologías más utilizadas, su fundación se sostiene en las aportaciones de Max Weber, que se pueden resumir en tres: la primera se refiere a la transparencia de la cuestión valorativa del investigador; la segunda es la construcción de una acción racional de tipo ideal como instrumento de interpretación con alta disciplina científica; por último, se muestra el manejo de la información empírica para imputar una relación causal apropiada para el contexto histórico que se analiza. La principal aportación del artículo es que muestra cada una de las fases del método de elaboración de tipos ideales, con el fin de ofrecer una alternativa para el tránsito entre la investigación y el activismo: separar y explicitar los valores teóricos-conceptuales de los prácticos-emocionales.This article discusses the Weberian ideal-type proposal as a way to find value freedom-neutrality in the contemporary social research, which demands greater involvement of researchers with contextual practical problems that occur around them. Currently, methodological individualism is one of the most used methodologies and it is necessary for social researchers to know the bases and assumptions that founded this tradition. Its foundation is based on the contributions of Max Weber, which can be summarized in three: the first refers to the transparency of the value question of the researcher; the second contribution is the construction of an ideal-type rational action as an instrument of interpretation with high scientific discipline; finally, it is shown the management of empirical information to impute a causal relationship for the historical context analyzed. Th main contribution of the article is that it shows each phase of the ideal type method, in order to offer an alternative for the transit between research and activism: separating the theoretical-conceptual values of the practical-emotional ones.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Breaking out of the governance trap in rural Mexico

The purpose of this study is to explain the governance trap afflicting water agencies of rural municipalities in the Mexican state of Sonora. This trap is based on hierarchical governance arrangements of low complexity that produce a short-term vision. Organisations are isolated from one another, governance mechanisms are closed, and an atmosphere of distrust prevails among stakeholders, resulting in a lack of coordination and the loss of resources, including water. We show how a multiple-use water services scheme can become a governance trap when it allows the over-exploitation of a single source of drinking water by users who do not pay for the service, in locations where the majority of water users have the ability to pay. The study reviews the evidence of two rural regions in Sonora, Mexico. It explains how a past intermunicipal experience failed, and also suggests how a new scheme of intermunicipal authorities could break such governance traps. Specifically, it provides evidence that in small communities, collaborative large-scale arrangements for water governance are more effective than they are in a single municipality. Building governance capacities within and between water agencies and users would thus be advantageous. Although intermunicipal bodies are more complex than traditional arrangements, requiring additional time and resources for decision-making, they result in more sustainable decisions

Activismo e investigación: recuperando el concepto de neutralidad valorativa en la formación de tipos ideales

This article discusses the Weberian ideal-type proposal as a way to find value freedom-neutrality in the contemporary social research, which demands greater involvement of researchers with contextual practical problems that occur around them. Currently, methodological individualism is one of the most used methodologies and it is necessary for social researchers to know the bases and assumptions that founded this tradition. Its foundation is based on the contributions of Max Weber, which can be summarized in three: the first refers to the transparency of the value question of the researcher; the second contribution is the construction of an ideal-type rational action as an instrument of interpretation with high scientific discipline; finally, it is shown the management of empirical information to impute a causal relationship for the historical context analyzed. The main contribution of the article is that it shows each phase of the ideal type method, in order to offer an alternative for the transit between research and activism: separating the theoretical-conceptual values of the practical-emotional ones.El presente artí­culo discute la propuesta metodológica weberiana de tipo ideal como una manera de encontrar neutralidad-libertad valorativa en la investigación social contemporánea, la cual exige un mayor involucramiento de los investigadores con los problemas prácticos que ocurren a su alrededor. En la actualidad, el individualismo metodológico es una de las metodologí­as más utilizadas, su fundación se sostiene en las aportaciones de Max Weber, que se pueden resumir en tres: la primera se refiere a la transparencia de la cuestión valorativa del investigador; la segunda es la construcción de una acción racional de tipo ideal como instrumento de interpretación con alta disciplina cientí­fica; por último, se muestra el manejo de la información empí­rica para imputar una relación causal apropiada para el contexto histórico que se analiza. La principal aportación del artí­culo es que muestra cada una de las fases del método de elaboración de tipos ideales, con el fin de ofrecer una alternativa para el tránsito entre la investigación y el activismo: separar y explicitar los valores teóricos-conceptuales de los prácticos-emocionales

Mentalidad localista y hechura de políticas de comercio exterior: lecciones del México subnacional

The purpose of this article is to reflect on the paro-chial mentality as an issue to consider in the policy-making of subnational foreign trade policies, for the specific case of Sonora, Mexico. The methodological strategy was based on semi-structured interviews with experts, where nine actors were interviewed, those directly linked to the foreign trade policy, three from the public sector, three from the private sector, and three from the university sector. The main finding indicates that the parochial mentality is an obstacle to the effective policy-making on the subnational foreign trade arena since the lack of mental and commercial openness negatively affects the exploit of international opportunities. This parochial mentality is maintained and reinforced by the intense imbrications of business groups with political groups, where there are not the necessary check and balances to make competing decisions. Thus, the predominant policy-making pattern res-ponds more to maintain the local status quo, than to compete in the international market.El objetivo del presente artículo es reflexionar sobre la mentalidad localista como un elemento a conside-rar en la hechura de políticas de comercio exterior subnacionales, para el caso específico del estado de Sonora, México. La estrategia metodológica estuvo basada en entrevistas semiestructuradas a expertos, donde se entrevistaron nueve actores vinculados directamente con la política de comercio exterior, tres del sector público, tres del sector privado y tres del sector universitario. El hallazgo principal indica que la mentalidad localista es un obstáculo para la hechura de políticas subnacionales de comercio exterior efectivas, ya que la poca apertura mental y comercial afecta negativamente el aprovechamiento de las ventajas internacionales. Dicha mentalidad localista se mantiene y refuerza con la intensa imbricación de la clase empresarial con la clase po-lítica, donde no existen los contrapesos necesarios para tomar decisiones en competencia. Entonces, el patrón predominante en las decisiones de política pública responde más a mantener el statu quo local, que a competir en el mercado internacional