Student protest movements in Latin America. The cases of Venezuela, Mexico and Chile

This study focuses on the role of the student movements in the political processes of Latin America at the present stage of development. Over the past decade, student protests have shaken many Latin American countries. Student movements articulate both the social and political agendas, and they become an influential opposition political force. In addition to traditional requirements, such as expanding access to education, students have consistently advocated for the democratization of the political process in their countries. In the article, the author traces the formation of the student movement in Mexico, Venezuela and Chile, gives a generalized description of the stages of development of these movements, and identified the features of their interaction with the state and with civil society institutions. Student movements in these countries have some similarities, such as their commitment to the democratic values, utilization of various methods of political struggle, opposition to the current government, and the rejection of ideological “labels” that limit the space for dialogue. Student movements in the political process fulfill the important role of an accelerator of social transformation, as well as the functions of criticism and democratic control over the power institutions. The author concludes that student movements, emerging as non-partisan, over time start to use party structures, the forms of such interaction can be different, such as the exploitation of party resources in electoral processes or the individual membership in parties.

Keywords

social and student movements, student activism, political protest, Mexico, Venezuela, Chile, Latin America

Received

12.07.2020

Publication date

14.01.2021

Number of characters

27224

Cite

GOST	Kleshchenko L. Student protest movements in Latin America. The cases of Venezuela, Mexico and Chile // Latin America – 2021. – Issue 1 C. 22-34 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://latamerica-journal.ru/S0044748X0010515-5-1 (circulation date: 23.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S0044748X0010515-5
MLA	Kleshchenko, Lyudmila "Student protest movements in Latin America. The cases of Venezuela, Mexico and Chile." Latin America 1 (2021):22-34. DOI: 10.31857/S0044748X0010515-5
APA	Kleshchenko L. (2021). Student protest movements in Latin America. The cases of Venezuela, Mexico and Chile. Latin America (1), pp.22-34 DOI: 10.31857/S0044748X0010515-5

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