Abstract

PAXMAN, Andrew. Business Biography in Mexico: The State of the Genre, its Usefulness, and How to Research One. Secuencia [online]. 2018, n.100, pp.185-211. ISSN 2395-8464.  https://doi.org/10.18234/secuencia.v0i100.1577.

This three-part article addresses the genre of business biography in Mexico. In the first part, I evaluate those biographies already written, which can be classified as commissioned works (the majority fall into this category and tend to lack analytical value) or independent creations. I also explain the scarcity of biography in this country as compared to the Anglo-Saxon tradition. In the second part I propose seven reasons why the biography genre is useful for history and sociology; some pertain to Mexican fields of study, while others are relevant to history in general. Complementing this section is a selection of conclusions drawn from my recent book Jenkins of Mexico. Finally, I suggest how to undertake the writing of a business biography in Mexico, with references to public, private, journalistic, oral and archival sources.

Keywords : Business biography; Emilio Azcárraga; William Jenkins; Carlos Slim.

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