Ángela María Estrada Mesa, Ph.D.

Ph.D. – Social Psychology
Senior Professor
Universidad de Los Andes
Bogotá, Colombia

Angela was born and lived in Bogotá, Colombia. She spent a long time looking for a Psychology that was critical of the empiricist paradigm and adequate for the Latin-American context. In that process she also studied Education and Philosophy. She was glad to be able to combine different areas of knowledge.

She found the socio-constructionist paradigm of Ken Gergen and also the Psychology of Liberation of Ignacio Martín-Baró; both of which were important to her and her work. She taught and did research for the 25 years on two main issues: subjection and political culture, and subjection and sexual diversity.  She received advanced training in Social Psychology and received a doctoral degree in the subject.

She held a senior position at Los Andes University where she spent years developing an agenda that combines teaching, research and extension. Research training had been the most rewarding for her. She had the privilege of leading the integration of students in a collaborative perspective that forwards the initiatives of her research group.

She was also interested in international experiences and development. The Taos Institute, for her, provided the opportunity to participate in the development of a new generation of social psychologists in Colombia that were being educated at the highest level.

On the personal side, she loved gourmet cooking, entertaining dinners in her home, and enjoyed a good meal and an even better conversation. She loved a good sense of humor. She had two daughters of whom she was very proud. They are independent and very well educated people. She also liked to dance to tropical music and enjoyed jazz.