Overcoming feudal constraints on educational research in Spain: the impact of the CIMIE conference

Abstract

Feudal structures and power relationships that Spanish universities inherited from Franco’s dictatorship have damaged the quality of educational research. However, the emergence of initiatives aimed to address these limitations have been identified. In this article, we analyze the impact of the Multidisciplinary International Conference on Educational Research (CIMIE). Specifically, we analyze how CIMIE is contributing to overcome some of the feudal constraints affecting educational research in Spain, such as fragmentation of areas of knowledge, limited international research efforts, and precarious and unstable employment situations of many researchers. Grounded in the communicative methodology of research and using mixed methods, we have conducted a longitudinal study of this research initiative (2012–2016), comprising interviews and communicative observations, analysis of documentation and quantitative data. The results show that participants understand that their involvement in CIMIE is contributing to make them feel released from the constraints of university feudalism by building solidarity networks and egalitarian relationships, and by rethinking research.