Social Movements and Political Change in Latin America

Social movements in Latin America have long been pivotal in shaping political trajectories, from mid-20th-century labour and peasant organisations to contemporary feminist, indigenous and environmental campaigns. Mass mobilisations against authoritarian regimes in the 1970s and 1980s helped usher in democratic transitions, while neoliberal restructuring in the 1990s provoked new waves of protest focused on inequality, privatisation and social rights. In the past decade, student-led demonstrations in Chile and Colombia, indigenous uprisings in Ecuador and Bolivia, and feminist marches across several countries have forced constitutional debates, policy reversals and the emergence of participatory mechanisms. Digital communication platforms have increasingly enabled horizontal coordination across borders, reinforcing transnational solidarity and facilitating rapid responses to crises of governance. Despite variations in scale and outcome, these movements share common challenges: negotiating internal diversity, countering state repression, and translating street mobilisations into institutional reforms. Their evolving strategies and alliances have not only redefined notions of citizenship and accountability but also yielded lessons for inclusive policymaking and democratic resilience worldwide.

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Social Movements and Political Change in Latin America publication trend

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Technical terms

Social movement: A collective effort by non-state actors aiming to promote or resist social and political change through sustained mobilisation.

Political mobilisation: The process by which individuals or groups are organised to participate in political activities, including protests, lobbying and voting.

Clientelism: A system of exchange in which resources or services are provided by political actors in return for electoral support, often undermining programme-based politics.

Feminist movement: A networked campaign advocating gender equality and women’s rights, often intersecting with broader demands for social justice.

Constitutional reform: The formal process of amending or rewriting a country’s constitution, typically driven by popular pressure or institutional consensus.

References

1. The 2019 Chilean Social Upheaval: A Descriptive Approach. Journal of Politics in Latin America (2023).
2. Conducta y opinión política de jóvenes mujeres universitarias en La Araucanía, Chile. Revista Estudos Feministas (2022).
3. “The Revolution Will Be Feminist—Or It Won’t Be a Revolution”: Feminist Response to Inequality in Chile. Social Inclusion (2021).