Miguel Cortés

Miguel E. Cortés Vazquez lives in Ciudad Juarez in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, near the US/Mexican border. As a doctoral student in experimental psychology at Washington State University, Miguel became deeply aware of his minority status and of how psychology’s core assumptions could not be addressed within the framework of cognitive psychology. He studied authors that questioned the premises of his course work and research – diving into critical psychology, socio-historical psychology, liberation psychology and Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed. After health concerns forced Miguel to return to Juarez, he eventually earned a Master’s degree in systemic family therapy, but then started his unofficial “postgraduate work” at a non-profit community group, CASA, working in one of Juarez’ most marginalized areas. This work inspired him to continue to develop and grow personally and professionally, which led him to The International Class. He is interested in exploring the impact of Lev Vygotsky on social therapy and in “revolutionizing” his work with young people. Miguel and his wife Mariana are the proud parents of Lila a baby girl who is growing fast. Miguel plays percussion with the band, Cosas de Circo.