Reorganization of geography in Mexico, 1914: institutional crisis and practice new signification

Abstract

During Porfirio Díaz’ dictatorship (1876-1911), geography was practiced mainly in three institutions: the National Astronomical Observatory (1876), the Geographical Survey (1877) and the Meteorological Observatory (1877). The three of them were conceived as complementary establishments . Production of the whole national cartography was the main task of the Geographical Survey, but in the forthcoming years other projects were pursued. Nevertheless, during Porfirio Diaz’ thirty years government, geography maintained the same scientific objectives, derived by an unwavering concept of territory. This paper will display a swift view of the Geographical Survey’s activities, showing its original purposes and pointing out changes undergone in the period 1878-1911. A brief characterization of the institutional crisis stemmed from the Mexican Revolution, will be followed by Venustiano Carranza’s proposal for scientific organization (1914). The paper will close by examining the program of a new scientific institution for geographical practice (Geographical and Climatologic Research Department), where activities would be led by a new concept of territorial patrimony and geographical practice, according to revolutionary ideas.