Arely Medina holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of Guadalajara. She holds a Master's degree in Regional Studies and a PhD in Social Sciences, both from El Colegio de Jalisco. As a guest researcher she did a postdoctoral stay at the Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social (ciesas), headquartered in the West, and is a member of the sni level i. She is currently a research professor in the Department of Economic and Administrative Sciences at the University of Guadalajara.