The contested modernisation of Peruvian universities

Abstract

Peru has undergone a process of educational employment modernisation over the last 30 years, driven by a market logic that excluded faculty participation. This chapter analyses this country in the historical context of Latin America, explaining how it adopted the “academic capitalism” model in the late 20th century. We provide statistical evidence of how recent reforms have transformed the academic career, examining the challenges of gender and age discrimination. The chapter also surveys the demands of faculty unions in the last decade and their limited impact on the reforms. Finally, it draws some conclusions by connecting these three issues, and situating the Peruvian experience in a Latin American perspective.