A divided society: social perceptions about indigenous peoples’ rights in Chile

Abstract

ABSTRACT The recognition of indigenous people’s rights, both legally and socially, poses a significant challenge for contemporary democracies. This article focuses on the acceptance or rejection of indigenous rights by citizens and elites in Chile, often framed as a debate between multiculturalism and plurinationalism. However, we argue that these labels fail to capture the nuanced distinctions present at the societal level. To address this limitation, we propose a methodological strategy that examines how individuals align themselves with specific sets of rights for indigenous peoples. Through this approach, we identify three distinct groups: pluriculturalists, who support only indigenous cultural rights; multiculturalists, who advocate for cultural rights along with specific additional rights; and plurinationalists, who advocate for the recognition of a broad range of rights. We contend that the political dimensions of recognition – including self-government and territorial autonomies – generate significant controversy within Chilean society and posit that achieving constitutional consecration of these rights is unlikely.