The Reawakening of the Student Movement in Chile: A Discussion of the Incorporation of Protest as a Manifestation of Citizenship through the Lens of Public Opinion Data

Meghan Greene

doi:10.23870/marlasv1n1mg

Abstract

The Middle Atlantic Review of Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary, peer reviewed, open access online journal focusing on the dissemination of scholarly work about Latin America and the Caribbean. The editors also welcome submissions focusing on relations among Latin American and Caribbean countries and with other states and regions of the world. MARLAS publishes research findings aimed at a multidisciplinary audience and invites submissions based on rigorous analysis from a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives. The journal publishes scholarly articles, essays, research notes, book reviews, and periodic special issues examining specific topics in Latin American studies. MARLAS accepts submissions in English, Spanish and Portuguese. The Editorial Board asks prospective authors to examine carefully the guidelines for submissions. Previously published as Latin American Essays, a printed journal, since 1988, MARLAS represents a continuation of a 30-year tradition of high-quality scholarly contributions to the field of Latin American studies. MARLAS is a publication of the Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies (MACLAS). For inquiries, please contact middleatlanticreviewlas@gmail.comMiddle Atlantic Review of Latin American Studies es una revista académica en línea, revisada por pares, interdisciplinaria y de acceso libre, dedicada a la difusión de estudios sobre América Latina y el Caribe. Los editores también consideran trabajos que traten de las relaciones entre los países de América Latina y el Caribe con otras naciones y regiones del mundo. MARLAS se dirige a un público multidisciplinario y acepta trabajos que contengan un análisis riguroso y con una variedad de perspectivas teóricas y metodológicas. La revista acepta artículos científicos, ensayos, notas de investigación, reseñas de libros y, periódicamente, cuadernos especiales que examinen temas específicos en estudios latinoamericanos. MARLAS publica en inglés, español y portugués. El Consejo Editorial pide a los autores que atiendan cuidadosamente las directrices establecidas para el envío de manuscritos. Inicialmente publicada de forma impresa como Latin American Essays, MARLAS mantiene y sigue una tradición de 30 años de contribuciones académicas de alta calidad en el campo de los estudios latinoamericanos. MARLAS es una publicación del Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies (MACLAS). Para consultas, por favor contáctenos en el correo electrónico middleatlanticreviewlas@gmail.comMiddle Atlantic Review of Latin American Studies é uma revista acadêmica on-line, revisada por pares, interdisciplinar e de acesso livre dedicada `a divulgação de estudos sobre a América Latina e o Caribe. Os editores também consideram trabalhos sobre as relações entre os países da América Latina e do Caribe com outras nações e regiões do mundo. MARLAS se dirige a um público multidisciplinar e aceita trabalhos que contenham análises rigorosas e com uma variedade de perspectivas teóricas e metodológicas. MARLAS publica artigos científicos, ensaios, notas de pesquisa, resenhas de livros e, periodicamente, edições especiais examinando temas específicos dos estudos latino-americanos. MARLAS aceita submissões em Inglês, Espanhol e Português. O Conselho Editorial solicita aos autores que examinem cuidadosamente as diretrizes para submissões. Publicada anteriormente, desde 1988, como Latin American Essays, uma revista impressa, MARLAS mantém e dá seguimento a uma tradição de 30 anos de contribuições de alta qualidade acadêmica no campo de estudos latino-americanos. MARLAS é uma publicação do Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies (MACLAS). Para consultas, por favor entre em contato com: middleatlanticreviewlas@gmail.com MARLAS IS INDEXED BY THE DIRECTORY OF OPEN ACCESS JOURNALS (DOAJ), SCOPUS, THE HISPANIC-AMERICAN PERIODICAL INDEX (HAPI), CROSSREF, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, AND BY THE MLA DIRECTORY OF PERIODICALS.MARLAS IS HOSTED BY THE LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION RESEARCH COMMONS PLATFORM https://www.larcommons.net/site/journal-publishing/ FROM LATIN AMERICAN ESSAYS TO MARLASPublished by the Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies, MARLAS represents a continuation of a 30-year tradition of high-quality scholarly contributions to the field of Latin American studies. MARLAS' predecessor, Latin American Essays, a printed and interdisciplinary journal, was published annually until 2014. We invite you to explore the journal's archive here: Latin American Essays, a MACLAS publication

Highlights

Tear gas, water cannons, and violence were for years a common sight in the center of Santiago, Chile
The results suggest overwhelming and across-the-board dissatisfaction with the functioning of the political institutions and the government in 2006, which improved in later accounts across the sample, despite the persistence of protest, but perhaps related to the progress made in enlarging and updating the existing understanding of citizenship rights and norms
If these trends continue into the future and negatively influence other opinions about government and the current system, an escalating protest climate and lack of confidence in democracy as a political system that responds to these petitions could instead fracture the citizen bond with the state. This statistical finding along with media reports about the way in which the student movement is “radicalizing” indicate the need for continued monitoring of public opinion, especially where the use of data is becoming increasingly important for the steering of state policy (Slattery 2015). This evaluation of public opinion about the bonds of citizenship and democracy through the lens of public opinion polls indicates that citizenship has expanded, and bonds strengthened, surrounding periods of protest, and in some capacity in response to protest

Summary

Introduction

Water cannons, and violence were for years a common sight in the center of Santiago, Chile. Protest, as led by the student movement in Chile in 2006 and 2011, is not an attempt to break with the current political system nor a non-formal or radical attempt to disengage from citizenship, but rather, a manifestation of active involvement, demanding progress in an outdated format of citizenship This can be described by tracking public opinion of respect for government institutions, confidence in the system, preference for democracy, and so on, where if preference for and confidence in the “system” as defined through public opinion data outlasts, improves, or leads to direct interaction between key stakeholders during periods of protest, protest may serve as a mechanism of productive contact between people and government (i.e., manifestation of citizenship). Protest further fracture already weakened citizen-state obligations, or did protest generate an access point from which civil society and the highest levels of government could cooperate?

Objectives

Results

Conclusion