Office Hours:
Tuesday: 3:00-5:00--please contact Bridget Bartolini at bartolini@tc.columbia.edu to schedule. Or by appointment--please email to schedule an appointment cortina@tc.columbia.edu911爆料网 Affiliations:
Faculty Expertise:
Educational Background
Ph.D., Stanford University
M.A., Stanford University
B.A., Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City
Scholarly Interests
Comparative and international education; gender and education; the education and employment of teachers; public policy in education; education in Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States.
Dr. Cortina was the President of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) in 2018-2019 and was the Academic Chair of which took place in Mexico City, Mexico.
Selected Publications
Books
Cortina, R. & Lafuente, C. (Eds.). (2018). Civil Society Organizations in Latin American Education: Case Studies and Perspectives on Advocacy. New York, NY: Routledge.
Cortina, R. (Ed.). (2017). Indigenous Education Policy, Equity, and Intercultural Understanding in Latin America. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Cortina, R. & De La Garza, K. (Eds.). (2015). Educaci贸n, pueblos ind铆genas e interculturalidad en Am茅rica Latina [Education, indigenous peoples and interculturality in Latin America]. Quito, Ecuador: Ediciones Abya Yala.
Cortina, R. (Ed.). (2014). The education of Indigenous citizens in Latin America. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Cortina, R., & San Rom谩n, S. (Eds.). (2006). Women and teaching: International perspectives on the feminization of a profession. New York, NY: Palgrave.
Cortina, R., & Gendreau, M. (Eds.). (2004). Poblanos en Nueva York: Migraci贸n rural, educaci贸n y bienestar [Immigrants and schooling: Mexicans in New York]. Puebla, Mexico: Universidad Iberoamericana.
Cortina, R. (Ed.). (2003). L铆deres y construcci贸n de poder: Las maestras y el SNTE [Leaders and construction of power: Women teachers in the national teachers鈥� union of Mexico]. Mexico City, Mexico: Editorial Santillana.
Cortina, R., & Gendreau, M. (Eds.). (2003). Immigrants and schooling: Mexicans in New York. New York, NY: Center for Migration Studies.
Cortina, R., & Stromquist, N. P. (Eds.). (2001). Promoviendo la educaci贸n de ni帽as y mujeres en Am茅rica Latina [Promoting education for girls and women in Latin America]. Mexico City, Mexico: Pax-Mexico.
Cortina, R., & Stromquist, N. P. (Eds.). (2000). Distant alliances: Promoting education for girls and women in Latin America. New York, NY: Routledge-Falmer.
Journal Editor
Cortina, R. (Special Issue Editor). (2022). 鈥淭eachers College and the Rise of Public Education in Latin America.鈥� Teachers College Record, 124 (10).
Cortina, R. (Issue Ed.). (2014, January-March). Educaci贸n intercultural biling眉e en Latinoam茅rica: el papel de la ayuda internacional [Intercultural bilingual education in Latin America: The role of foreign aid]. Revista Mexicana de Investigaci贸n Educativa, 60.
Recent Journal Articles
Cortina, R. (2022). 鈥淭eachers College and the Rise of Public Education in Latin America.鈥� Teachers College Record, 124 (10) 3-15.
Cortina, R. & Winter, M. (2021). 鈥淧aulo Freire鈥檚 Pedagogy of Liberation.鈥� Current Issues in Comparative Education 23 (2), 8-19.
Cortina, R. & Quezada, R. (2021). La igualdad de g茅nero en la investigaci贸n de alto rango en la Universidad Nacional Aut贸noma de M茅xico: una lente feminista. Revista De Educaci贸n Superior Del Sur Global - RESUR, (13), e2021n13a1.
Cortina, R. & Earl, A. (2020). 鈥淎dvancing Professional Development for Teachers in Intercultural Education.鈥� Education Sciences 10 (12) 360;
Cortina, R. & Earl, A. (2020). 鈥淓mbracing Interculturality and Indigenous Knowledge in Latin American Higher Education.鈥� Compare: A journal of Comparative and International Education, 51 (8), 1218-1225.. DOI: 10.1080/03057925.2020.1766350
Cortina, R. (2019). Presidential Address. 鈥淭he Passion for What is Possible鈥� in Comparative and International Education. Comparative Educational Review, 63(4), 463-479. DOI:10.1086/705411
Cortina, R. & Earl, A. 2019. "Teaching Decolonial Theories in Comparative Education." In Encyclopedia of Teacher Education, edited by Michael A. Peters, 1-5. Singapore: Springer Singapore.
Cortina, R., Martin Alcoff, L., Green Stocel, A., & Esteva, G. (2019). Decolonial trends in higher education: voices from Latin America. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 49(3), 489-506, DOI:
Cortina, R., Makar, C. & Mount-Cors, M. F. (2015). Dual Language as a Social Movement: Putting Languages on a Level Playing Field. Current Issues in Comparative Education. 911爆料网.
Cortina, R. 2012. "Empoderamiento de lenguas y culturas ind铆genas: El impacto de la ayuda bilateral alemana en Latinoam茅rica." Revista Latinoamericana de Educaci贸n Comparada, 3(3).
Cortina, R. 2011. 鈥淕lobalization, social movements and education.鈥� Teachers College Record 113: 1196-1213.
Cortina, R. 2011. 鈥淕lobalizaci贸n, movimientos sociales y sentido de la educaci贸n.鈥� In V. Aspe Armella (comp.), M茅xico entre el discurso p煤blico y el 谩mbito privado. M茅xico: Porr煤a.
Cortina, R. 2011. Putting Languages on a level Playing Field. Research Paper. University of New York at Albany: NYLARnet.
Cortina, R. 2010. 鈥淕ender equality in education: GTZ and indigenous communities in Peru.鈥� Development 53 (4): 529-534.
Cortina, R. 2010. 鈥淓mpowering Indigenous Languages and Cultures: The impact of German Bilateral Assistance in Latin America.鈥� European Education: Issues and Studies 42 (3): 53-67.
Cortina, R. 2009. The Education of Latinos in Northern Manhattan Schools. Policy Paper. The StateUniversity of New York at Albany: NYLARNet.
Cortina, R. 2009. 鈥淚mmigrant Youth in High School: Understanding Educational Outcomes for Students of Mexican Origin.鈥� In Terrence G. Wiley, Jin Sook Lee, and Russell Rumberger. Eds. The Education of Language Minority Immigrants in the United States, pp. 113-135. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Cortina, R. 鈥淟atinos and Educational Policy in the Global American South.鈥� Latino Research Review 6 (3, 2008): 93-104.
Cortina, R., and S谩nchez, M.T. 鈥淪panish Bilateral Initiatives for Education in Latin America.鈥� Prospects 37 (2, June 2007): 267-281.
Book Chapters
Cortina, R., & Lafuente, C. (2018). Introduction: The role of civil society organizations in Latin American education: case studies and perspectives on advocacy (pp. 1-17). New York, NY: Routledge.
Cortina, R., & Lafuente, C. (2018). "Only quality education will change Mexico": The Case of Mexicanos Primero. In R. Cortina & C. Lafuente (Eds.), Civil society organizations in Latin American education: case studies and perspectives on advocacy (pp. 18-41). New York, NY: Routledge.
Cortina, R., & Lafuente, C. (2018). 鈥淪贸lo la educaci贸n de calidad cambiar谩 a M茅xico鈥�: El caso de Mexicanos Primero. In C. Ornelas, M. A. Navarro & Zaira Navarrete (Eds.), Pol铆tica educativa, actores y pedagog铆a (pp. 47-68). Mexico City: Plaza y Vald茅s Editores.
Cortina, R. (2017). How to Improve Quality Education for Indigenous Children in Latin America. In R. Cortina (Ed.) Indigenous Education Policy, Equity, and Intercultural Understanding in Latin America. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Cortina, R. (2015). La profesi贸n docente en Europa y en Estados Unidos. In Teresa Gonz谩lez P茅rez (Coord.) Formaci贸n de Maestros/as (1970-1990). Madrid: Editorial Biblioteca Nueva.
Cortina, R. (2014). Partnerships to promote the education of Indigenous citizens. In R. Cortina (Ed.) The Education of Indigenous Citizens in Latin America. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Cortina, R., de la Cruz, I., & Makar, C. (2013). School trajectories of Mexican immigrant youth. In A. Sawyer & B. Jensen (Eds.), Regarding Educaci贸n Mexican-American Schooling, Immigration, and Bi-national Improvement (pp.149-171). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Cortina, R. (2011). Globalizaci贸n, movimientos sociales y sentido de la educaci贸n. In V. Aspe Armella (comp.), M茅xico entre el discurso p煤blico y el 谩mbito privado (pp. 3-10). M茅xico City: Porr煤a. [Globalization, social movements and the meaning of education].
Cortina, R. (2011). Globalizaci贸n, pol铆tica educativa y migraci贸n de mexicanos hacia el sur de Estados Unidos. In M.E. D麓Aubeterre Buznego & L. Rivermar P茅rez (Eds.), Migraciones en la huasteca poblana. Actores y procesos (pp. 147-171). M茅xico City: Benem茅rita Universidad Aut贸noma de Puebla, Instituto de Ciencias Sociales. [Globalization, Education policy and Mexican migration to the South of the United States]
Cortina, R. (2009). Immigrant youth in high school: Understanding educational outcomes for students of Mexican origin. In Terrence G. Wiley, Jin Sook Lee and Russell Rumberger (Eds.), Bilingual education and bilingualism: The education of language minority immigrants in the USA (pp. 113-135).Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Cortina, R. (2007). Migraci贸n y Educaci贸n. In Migraci贸n y reconfiguraci贸n transnacional: Flujos de poblaci贸n (p. 323-342). Puebla, M茅xico: Universidad Iberoamericana. [Migration and Education, in the volume, Migration and Transnational Reconfiguration].
Cortina, R. (2006). Women teachers in Mexico: Asymmetries of power in public education. In R. Cortina, and S. San Rom谩n (Eds.) Women and Teaching: International Perspectives on the Feminization of a Profession (pp. 107-128).New York: Palgrave
Cortina, R. (2003). Las mujeres como l铆deres en la educaci贸n. In R. Cortina (Ed.) L铆deres y construcci贸n de poder: Las maestras y el SNTE. M茅xico City: Ed. Santillana [Women as leader in Mexican Education].
Cortina, R. (2003). G茅nero y poder en el sindicato de las maestras y los maestros. In R. Cortina (Ed.) L铆deres y construcci贸n de poder: Las maestras y el SNTE. M茅xico City: Ed. Santillana.
Cortina, R. (2003). Transnational factors and school success of Mexican immigrants. In R. Cortina and Gendreau, M. (Eds.) Immigrants and Schooling: Mexicans in New York. New York: Center for Migration Studies.
Current Projects
911爆料网 Independent Work in Latin America
Research
Professor Cortina published a new book with Dr. Constanza Lafuente entitled Civil Society Organizations in Latin American Education: Case Studies and Perspectives on Advocacy, Routledge (2018). The book is a study of the advocacy strategies and contributions of civil society organizations in the field of education that are promoting the advancement of the right to education across the Americas. It compiles research looking into the success and challenges of such organizations that target governmental decision makers through the various policy stages, such as agenda setting, policy enactment, implementation and monitoring.
Professor Cortina has recently initiated the "Leveraging Cultural and Linguistic Diversity for Academic Achievement" Project, which seeks to help bridge the gap between theory and practice of teaching in contexts of cultural and linguistic diversity. The project aims to provide professional development opportunities for educators and employees and managers of educational or school-based nonprofit organizations who seek to improve their knowledge and effective strategies for being culturally and linguistically responsive to young people, including to immigrant and English Learner (EL) students. The dynamic and ever-changing forms of diversity flourishing in New York City Public Schools present unique challenges and opportunities for educators and youth development workers seeking to coach students to academic success. Although students' cultural practices and modes of communication may differ from those emphasized in traditional academic settings, they can serve as rich resources for learning and expression if strategically tapped. This initiative can help to generate practitioner-based knowledge to contribute to the research on how best to draw on students' funds of knowledge with a view to academic achievement.
Professor Cortina launched The International Working Group on Indigenous Intercultural Bilingual Education, to provide opportunities for academics throughout Latin America to discuss issues related to Indigenous intercultural bilingual education (known as EIB, using the acronym in Spanish for Educaci贸n Intercultural Biling眉e). This initiative furthers our understanding of the challenges and limitations of current EIB policy arrangements for building equal educational opportunities for Indigenous children in Latin American countries. The research of the International Working Group is both relevant and timely. National governments regularly face the challenges of integrating Indigenous populations into their education systems, including the languages and cultures of these groups. With low achievement scores among Indigenous schools, some governments in Latin America are questioning further investments in Indigenous school resources, such as teacher training of EIB teachers. The Working Group can directly and positively influence this decision-making process.
Grants
2018-2019. Dean鈥檚 Fellowship Program for Teaching and Diversity Award for course development. Latinos in Urban Schools.
2016-2017 Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University, for publishing the book New Advocates for Education: Civil Society Organizations in Latin America.
2017 Office of the Provost of 911爆料网 Rapid Prototyping Grant for "Leveraging Cultural and Linguistic Diversity for Academic Achievement" workshop creation.
2016 Office of the Provost of 911爆料网 Rapid Prototyping Grant for "Leveraging Cultural and Linguistic Diversity for Academic Achievement" workshop creation.
2015-2016. Dean鈥檚 Fellowship Program for Teaching and Diversity Award for course development. Critical Theories on Latin American and Latino Education.
2015-2016 Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University, for publishing the book in Quito, Ecuador, 鈥淓ducation, Indigenous Peoples and Interculturality in Latin America.鈥�
2014-2015 In collaboration with Dr. Constanza Lafuente, Provost鈥檚 Investment Fund Grant for project, Civil Society Organizations and Education. Advocating for Change in Latin America.
2014-2015 Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University, for project, Civil Society Organizations and Education. Advocating for Change in Latin America.
2013-2014 Televisa Foundation grant, Communities in Action: Access to Quality Education for Latino Students Conference. (March 28-29) at Teacher鈥檚 College, Columbia University.
2013-2014 Televisa Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships in Latino Education.
2013-2014 Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University, for editing a special issue of Revista Mexicana de Investigaci贸n Educativa, volume 60, January-March, 2014.
2012-2013 In collaboration with Prof. Daniel Friedrich, Provost鈥檚 Investment Fund Grant for project, Cultural and Linguistic Exchange in the Americas, through the Faculty Working Group on Latina/o and Latin American Education.
2012-2013 Columbia Global Centers, for a project, 鈥淒eveloping Professional in International and Comparative Education.鈥�
2012-2013 Institute of Latin American Studies, Columbia University for university-wide celebration of 50 years of Latin American Studies at Columbia University, Teachers College hosted a panel with alumni who discussed their involvement in research and work related to education in Latin America.
2012-2013 Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University, research grant to complete the book manuscript The Education of Indigenous Citizens in Latin America.
2011-2012 Columbia Global Centers, for a project, 鈥淒eveloping Professional in International and Comparative Education.鈥�
2010-2011 Institute of Latin American Studies at ColumbiaUniversity, Research Travel Grant.
2011 - Institute of Latin American Studies at ColumbiaUniversity and New YorkUniversity, Conference at Teachers College on Reconstructing National Identities: Intercultural Bilingual Education in Latin America.
2010-2011 Institute of Latin American Studies, Poverty and Poverty Alleviation Strategies in Latin America, Project Title: 鈥淭he Impact of German Cooperation and Poverty Reduction: The case of Peru鈥�.
2010-2011 Dean鈥檚 Grant for Tenure Faculty Research for project on 鈥淭he European Union and Education in Latin America.鈥�
2007 鈥� Institute of Latin American Studies at ColumbiaUniversity, research grant for 鈥淭he European Union Bilateral Aid for Education in Latin America.鈥�
2004 - University Center for International Studies (UNC), grant for project 鈥淢igration and the new Transnational Communities of North Carolina.鈥�
2003 鈥� Rockefeller Foundation, grant to produce Spanish translation of author鈥檚 book published in English, Poblanos en Nueva York: Migraci贸n rural, educaci贸n y bienestar [Immigrants and Schooling: Mexicans in New York].
2003 鈥� Rockefeller Foundation, research grant, 鈥淭ransnational Communities: Mexico-New York.鈥�
2003 鈥� United Way of New York City, grant to support distribution of book, Immigrants and Schooling: Mexicans in New York.
2002-2003 鈥� Russell Sage Foundation, research grant, 鈥淭he Schooling of Immigrants in New York.鈥�
1999 鈥� Ford Foundation, book development grant, 鈥淒istant Alliances: Promoting Education for Girls and Women in Latin America.鈥�
Professional Presentations
鈥淟a sociedad civil y el derecho a la educaci贸n: El caso de Mexicanos Primero.鈥� Presented at XII Semin谩rio da Faculdade de Educa莽茫o e X Semin谩rio sobre Produ莽茫o do Conhecimiento em Educa莽茫o: Pol铆ticas P煤blicas de Educa莽茫o: Caminhos e descaminhos, Pontif铆cia Universidade Cat贸lica de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil, October 23-25, 2017.
鈥淟a sociedad civil y el derecho a la educaci贸n: El caso de Mexicanos Primero.鈥� Presented at III Encuentro de Educaci贸n Internacional y Comparada, Universidad Nacional Aut贸noma de M茅xico, Mexico City, Mexico, May 11-12, 2017.
鈥淐ivil Society Advocating for Change: The Case of Mexicanos Primero.鈥� Presented at Mexican Monday, Columbia University, New York, New York, February 29, 2016.
鈥淓ducaci贸n, pueblos ind铆genas e interculturalidad en Am茅rica Latina.鈥� Presented at Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, Mexico, February 8, 2016.
鈥淚ndigenous Education Policy, Equity, and Intercultural Understanding in Latin America.鈥� Presented at University Seminar on Indigenous Studies, Columbia University, New York, NY, December 1, 2015.
Presidential Invited Panel: Humanist Education and World Epistemologies. CIES Conference. Washington, D.C., March 8-13, 2015.
In Group Panel: Indigenous students and education policy in Latin America. CIES Conference. Washington, D.C., March 8-13, 2015.
In Panel Paper: Public Policies Supporting Education Quality for Indigenous Children in Latin America. CIES Conference. Washington, D.C., March 8-13, 2015.
鈥淓l impacto de la Formaci贸n Docente en el Desempe帽o Acad茅mico de la Ni帽ez Ind铆gena en Latinoam茅rica鈥� [鈥淭eacher Education Policies and Indigenous Student Achievement in Latin America鈥漖. To be presented in Latin American Studies Association (LASA) 2014, Chicago, IL, May 21-24, 2014.
鈥淭eacher Education Policies and Indigenous Student Achievement in Latin America鈥� To be presented in presented at the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) 2014, Conference, Toronto, Canada, March 10-15, 2014.
鈥淭he Impact of Teacher Education on the Academic Performance of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous students in Latin America.鈥� To be presented at the CIES Northeasterner Regional Conference, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, November 1-2, 2013.
鈥淓l Impacto de la Formaci贸n Docente en el Desempleo Acad茅mico de los Ni帽os Ind铆genas鈥� [鈥淭eacher Education Policies and Indigenous Student Achievement in Latin America鈥漖 Presented with Mirka Tvaruzkova at the 鈥淪eminario Internacional de Educaci贸n Intercultural Biling眉e en Am茅rica Latina,鈥� Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile, June 20-21, 2013; and at XV Comparative Education World Congress, Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 24-28, 2013.
鈥淢ovimientos Ind铆genas, Etnicidad y G茅nero en la Educaci贸n Superior鈥�. Presented at Latin American Studies Association (LASA) 2012 Conference, San Francisco, May 23-26, 2012.
鈥淓ducation and the Nation-State in the Era of Globalization鈥�. Presented at Latin American Studies Association (LASA) 2012 Conference, San Francisco, May 23-26, 2012.
鈥淕lobalization, National Policies, and the Education of Indigenous Citizens鈥�. Presented in the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Conference, Puerto Rico, April 22-27, 2012.
鈥淧rimary and secondary educational institutions: A cross-national comparison鈥� presented in 鈥淪tudents We Share: Mexican-Origin Children and Youth in the 21st Century.鈥� American Education Research Association (AERA), New Orleans, April 8- 12, 2011.
"Civil Society, the German Cooperation and the Education of Indigenous Communities in Peru." Prepared for Conference Reconstructing National Identities: Intercultural Bilingual Education in Latin America at 911爆料网. New York, October 6-7, 2011.
"Teachers College and the Rise of Mexican Public Education." Prepared for the Lawrence A. Cremin Seminar and Lecture Series at Teachers College, ColumbiaUniversity. New York, October 19, 2010.
鈥淢exican Youth in New York City.鈥� Prepared for the Conference: The Students We Share: New research from Mexico and the United States/Los estudiantes que compartimos: Investigaci贸n reciente en M茅xico y los Estados Unidos. Mexico City, January 16, 2010.
"Gender in the European Union's Development Aid Policy." 54th Annual Conference for the Comparative and International Education Society. Chicago, March, 2010.
鈥淓ducational Pathways: Gender Inequality in Schooling.鈥� Presented in 51st annual conference of Comparative and International Education Society. Baltimore, March 2007.
鈥淚mmigrant Youth in High School: Understanding Educational Outcomes.鈥� A paper for the UC LMRI and Arizona State University conference, Immigration, Education, and Language. Arizona, May 3-5, 2007.
鈥淟ife Chances and Challenges for Immigrant Latin American and Caribbean Women in New York City.鈥� Presented at the international conference The Right to Education in the Context of Migration and Integration. Bonn, November 15-16, 2007.
Teaching
ITSF 4060: Latinxs in Urban Schools
In this graduate seminar, we explore theories and research to shed light on the context of Latinx education in the US, including why Latinxs are the least likely of all major demographic groups to be enrolled in school and, as adults, are most likely to lack a high school diploma and have limited access to postsecondary education. The course explores the racial/ethnic diversities that exist between and within recent immigrant groups, drawing especially on research that shows the diversity of cultural backgrounds within Latinx subgroups. Framing the discussion within relevant theories, the course鈥檚 topics will include immigration, educational achievement and persistence, language and schooling, the interplay of race, gender and class with educational attainment, and transnational communities.
ITSF 4094: Education Across the Americas
This graduate seminar introduces students to education and social issues in Latin America and the Caribbean. The seminar covers the time period from the consolidation of national systems of public education during the twentieth century to the present day. Using theoretical perspectives drawn from comparative education, critical social theories, and critical pedagogy, the course includes case studies of individual nations as well as thematic issues pertaining to the region as a whole.
Topics include social and political dimensions of education, ethnicity and indigenous education, academic achievement, women鈥檚 education, and social change, teacher preparation, student movements, social movements and patterns of migration. The seminar incorporates and analyzes the perspectives of different actors in education, including international organizations, civil society organizations, teachers and students. The effects of projects financed by international organizations will be evaluated in terms of improved access, teacher training, and intercultural understanding within the education systems of Latin America and the Caribbean.
ITSF 5008: Gender, Education, and International Development
This seminar examines the field of international education development from the standpoint of feminist and gender studies. We will read and discuss relevant studies in anthropology, economics, history, political science, and sociology, as well as interdisciplinary research in the fields of development studies and gender studies. We will begin by considering the political and legal advances in women鈥檚 rights within the daily reality of people鈥檚 lives in developing countries through the multiple lenses of democratic theory, neoliberal policies, and multiculturalism.
ITSF 5043: Decolonial Theories in Comparative Education