Latin American youth in an era of socio-economic and political change

Latin America has undergone significant changes in the past 30 years. Most countries in the region adopted democratic forms of government in the early 1980s. The accompanying economic reforms and new approaches to development brought about important social transformations (Aguero and Stark, 1998; Garreton and Newman, 2001; Teichman, 2001). The region has also experienced major demographic shifts. These factors, taken together, have affected young lives in both positive and negative ways. They also appear to have played an important role in determining how young people perceive the political sphere and their role in shaping it. The present chapter reviews recent demographic, social and related trends affecting youth in Latin America and assesses their impact on young people’s political and socio-economic participation. The chapter emphasizes that the apparent political apathy among young Latin Americans is not the result of conscious choice, but rather a product of the circumstances in which they live; youth who find it difficult to meet their essential needs in the areas of education, employment, health and social integration tend to attach less priority to political involvement.

Sustainable Development Goals:

No Poverty

Reduced Inequalities