La influencia de las organizaciones políticas universitarias en la formación de élites políticas en Chile: el caso de las federaciones de estudiantes de la Universidad de Chile y Universidad Católica 1984-2005

Abstract

This study claims that since the 1980's, universities and, in particular, the Universidad de Chile and Universidad Catolica student unions, have acted as spaces for recruitment for the political elite in Chile. This study analyzes the link between university politics and politics at the national level, focusing on the careers that follow the former presidents of the students unions from 1984 (year when the democracy was restored in the Chilean universities) until 2005. The conclusion is that the political careers of student leaders continue at the national level as congressmen, leaders of political parties, ministers of state or similar positions. However, many of these leaders do not enter the electoral logic of the political parties, and seek to exert political influence in other spheres. The student movement that started in 2011, together with the crisis of representation affecting political parties, raises new questions and scenarios for the future trajectories of current student leaders.