Demarketization and Democratization of a Chilean School: When Hard Work and Best Intentions Aren't Enough

• In Event: Furthering International Perspectives on the Politics of School Choice Policies

Abstract

This ethnographic case study from Chile shows that once an education system has been marketized, education policy reforms focusing on inclusion and democratization of schools will face resistance even from those committed to building an egalitarian system. Developing a market-oriented model is not just about securing legislation to foster competition or allowing profitability from educational institutions. The structure requires a transformation in people's (parents, teachers, policymakers, etc.) values and ideas. Reshaping that system of beliefs is fundamental to reversing the neoliberal agenda. This research is grounded in 600 hours of participant observation. It critically analyzes the journey of a social justice-oriented voucher school in Chile towards becoming a democratic institution for its new population of Black immigrant students.

Author

• Maria Eugenia Rojas Concha, University of California - Berkeley
  Presenting Author