In this inaugural Spanish-language episode of the Urban Political Podcast, Clara Salazar delves into the history and concept of the ejidos—collective forms of land ownership introduced by the Mexican Revolution in 1917. Following this, the state began redistributing land to impoverished farmers under the condition that they organize themselves into collectives. Ejidal land, which was typically rural land, could not be sold. The significance of the ejidos persists to this day, although this form of collective ownwerhips has been the subject of numerous struggles and controversies. In 1992, the rights to ejidal lands were liberalized to permit their sale. Concurrently, the rights associated with private property were strengthened, providing powerful private owners with nearly unmatched opportunities to manage and profit from their lands, leveraging surplus value through public infrastructure provision while offering minimal compensation in return. Meanwhile, self-managed settlements by poor urbanites dwelling informally on the outskirts of metropolises have increasingly encroached upon ejidal land, leading to a parceling of the land and a profound transformation of Mexican cities. Against this backdrop, Clara Salazar makes a compelling case for enhancing public capacities to regulate urban land and to capture surplus value—a challenge that many Latin American countries face, alongside the ongoing evolution of property forms that separate land and housing ownership.
In this inaugural Spanish-language episode of the Urban Political Podcast, Clara Salazar delves into the history and concept of the ejidos—collective forms of land ownership introduced by the Mexican Revolution in 1917. Following this, the state began redistributing land to impoverished farmers under the condition that they organize themselves into collectives. Ejidal land, which was typically rural land, could not be sold. The significance of the ejidos persists to this day, although this form of collective ownwerhips has been the subject of numerous struggles and controversies. In 1992, the rights to ejidal lands were liberalized to permit their sale. Concurrently, the rights associated with private property were strengthened, providing powerful private owners with nearly unmatched opportunities to manage and profit from their lands, leveraging surplus value through public infrastructure provision while offering minimal compensation in return. Meanwhile, self-managed settlements by poor urbanites dwelling informally on the outskirts of metropolises have increasingly encroached upon ejidal land, leading to a parceling of the land and a profound transformation of Mexican cities. Against this backdrop, Clara Salazar makes a compelling case for enhancing public capacities to regulate urban land and to capture surplus value—a challenge that many Latin American countries face, alongside the ongoing evolution of property forms that separate land and housing ownership.
En este episodio inaugural en español del Urban Political Podcast, Clara Salazar profundiza en la historia y el concepto de los ejidos, formas colectivas de propiedad de la tierra introducidas por la Revolución Mexicana en 1917. Después de ésta, el estado comenzó a redistribuir tierras a los agricultores empobrecidos bajo la condición de que se organizaran en colectivos. Las tierras ejidales, típicamente rurales, no podían venderse. La importancia de los ejidos persiste hasta el día de hoy, aunque han sido objeto de numerosas luchas y controversias. En 1992, los derechos sobre las tierras ejidales se liberalizaron para permitir su venta. Al mismo tiempo, se fortalecieron los derechos asociados con la propiedad privada, brindando a poderosos empresarios oportunidades casi inigualables para administrar y sacar provecho de sus tierras, aprovechando la plusvalía de la provisión de infraestructura pública y ofreciendo una compensación mínima a cambio. Los asentamientos autogestionados por residentes pobres e "informales" en las afueras de las metrópolis han invadido cada vez más las tierras ejidales, lo que ha llevado a una parcelación de la tierra y una profunda transformación de las ciudades mexicanas. En este contexto, Clara presenta argumentos convincentes para el mejoramiento de la capacidad pública en la regulación del suelo urbano y la captura de plusvalía; un desafío que enfrentan muchos países latinoamericanos, junto con la continua evolución de las formas de propiedad que separan la titularidad de la tierra y la vivienda.
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Dr. Clara E. Salazar Cruz, doctor in Social Sciences with a specialty in population studies from El Colegio de México, is professor-researcher at the Center for Demographic, Urban and Environmental Studies since 1997. Throughout her academic career she has written more than fifty publications, including book chapters and articles in specialized journals, and authored, co-authored and coordinated four books. In addition to her teaching and research role, Dr. Salazar is a member of the National System of Researchers, level III. At the Center for Demographic, Urban and Environmental Studies, she serves additional roles as Publications Coordinator and director of the journal Demographic and Urban Studies. Her most recent research focuses on urban development in Mexico, addressing issues such as changes in the land tenure system and its impact on the land market, the regularization of informal settlements, and the effect of public policies on land and housing in urban expansion and territorial inequality. Likewise, her work delves into the study of popular housing as a crucial space for family ties and the generation of income for survival, exploring the intersection between the housing and the social. Dr. Salazar is recognized for her contribution to the demographic and urban field, establishing herself as a specialist in her area of study. Her participation in the National System of Researchers and her leadership roles in CEDUA underscore her commitment and significant contribution to demographic and urban knowledge in Mexico.
https://cedua.colmex.mx/personal-academico/salazar-cruz-clara/semblanza
La Dra. Clara E. Salazar Cruz, Doctora en Ciencias Sociales con especialidad en Estudios de Población por El Colegio de México, ha ocupado el cargo de Profesora-Investigadora en el Centro de Estudios Demográficos, Urbanos y Ambientales desde 1997. A lo largo de su destacada trayectoria académica, ha acumulado más de cincuenta publicaciones, que incluyen capítulos de libro y artículos en revistas especializadas, así como la autoría, coautoría y coordinación de cuatro libros. Además de su rol docente e investigador, la Dra. Salazar es miembro del Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, alcanzando el nivel III. En el Centro de Estudios Demográficos, Urbanos y Ambientales, desempeña roles adicionales como Coordinadora de Publicaciones y directora de la revista Estudios Demográficos y Urbanos. Su investigación más reciente se centra en temas críticos para el desarrollo urbano en México, abordando cuestiones como los cambios en el sistema de tenencia de la tierra y su impacto en el mercado de tierras, la regularización de asentamientos informales y el efecto de las políticas públicas sobre suelo y vivienda en la expansión urbana y la desigualdad territorial. Asimismo, su trabajo se adentra en el estudio de la vivienda popular como un espacio crucial para los vínculos familiares y la generación de ingresos para la supervivencia, explorando la intersección entre lo habitacional y lo social. La Dra. Salazar es reconocida por su aporte al campo demográfico y urbano, consolidándose como una especialista en su área de estudio. Su participación en el Sistema Nacional de Investigadores y sus roles de liderazgo en el CEDUA subrayan su compromiso y contribución significativa al avance del conocimiento en el ámbito demográfico y urbano en México.
https://cedua.colmex.mx/personal-academico/salazar-cruz-clara/semblanza
Referencias: Salazar, C. (2022). Structural Precariousness in Self-Managed Settlements in Cities of Latin America and the Caribbean. In The Routledge Handbook of Urban Studies in Latin America and the Caribbean (pp. 286-317). Routledge. Salazar, C. (2020). “Entre la propiedad y los derechos de propiedad. Una discusión conceptual para una gestión urbana distributiva”, en R. Eibenschutz y L. Carrillo (coord.) Repensar la metrópolis III. Tomo I Planeación y Gestión (pp.367-380). ANUIES- UAM.