Mass Social Unrest and Political Disappointment: First-Time Protesters in Chile and Colombia

This research explores the political narratives of first-time protesters in the context of the social uprisings in Chile (2019) and Colombia (2019-2021). These individuals were crucial in turning these events into mass movements, effectively becoming their protagonists. By studying their narratives through a qualitative approach using narrative interviews and photo-elicitation (leveraging participants’ Instagram stories), the goal is to understand how these contentious events contributed to the formation of new identities and political understandings among ordinary citizens.

This presentation focuses on the widespread feeling of disappointment experienced by first-time protesters. The diverse and, at times, contradictory nature of the demands emerging from the uprisings made it difficult for participants to feel that their objectives had been fulfilled. Unlike traditional social movements with well-defined goals, these uprisings posed significant challenges for governments due to the sheer complexity of addressing such varied demands.

I argue that despite the election of presidents aligned with the uprisings’ rhetoric in both Chile and Colombia, a prevailing sense of disappointment persists among first-time protesters. Through narrative analysis, I demonstrate how deeply intertwined institutional and extra-institutional political processes are and how protesters articulate these dynamics in their narratives. In Chile, protesters often mark the end of the uprising with the rejection of the constitutional proposal, while in Colombia, it is linked to the election of Gustavo Petro. In Chile, the sense of defeat stems from the failure of the constitutional process, whereas in Colombia, it is associated with the lack of tangible changes in everyday life following the election of the country’s first left-wing president. This analysis offers insights into the nuanced ways feelings of defeat shape identity formation and political understanding in both countries.