This book constitutes an ambitious historical interrogation of the complex relationship between universities, local and global politics, and international funding for scientific research culture in the Cold War era. This accomplished monograph moves away from a reading of Uruguayan left-wing politics through traditional party politics to trace the major shifts in university research culture during the 1960s. The author's cogent analysis pivots expertly between university infrastructure and personnel, the wider political polarization of 1960s Uruguay, and the broader global context, particularly the nebulous role of the US state and private funding bodies, bringing these areas together for the first time.
Furthermore, the university's role vis-à-vis crisis is not only a historical issue. Indeed, Vania Markarian frames her study by reminding us that while the Uruguayan scientific community is small, it is also vocal in its questioning of private funding's role in research and education, as exemplified recently in the local...
