The protest of the left over: vocational education students’ protest actions during the social uprising in Chile

Abstract

ABSTRACT On October 18th, 2019, Chile experienced the beginning of its most powerful social uprising since the return of democracy in 1990. People took to the streets of cities all over the country, protesting against social inequality in terms of healthcare, education, household living conditions, and wages, among other issues. Students, who have been critical actors in several social protests in the past, were the ones that initiated this social outbreak. However, as usual, the participation of vocational education students–a marginalised group in society–is unknown. Through ethnographic fieldwork, it was possible to observe the participation spaces that vocational education students of two lower-class schools on the outskirts of Santiago, Chile had before and during the social uprising. Data shows that the student government was the sole space of participation for students before the social uprising, but it was completely ignored during it. Students created their own protests inside the schools during the social protests, creating spaces to participate and claiming an active role. The importance of educating vocational education students to be active citizens and that of breakthrough marginalisation is discussed.