Where is the Higher Education Party? Exploring the Role of Political Parties on Latin American Higher Education

Political parties are important actors in policymaking in Latin America. Yet, in recent years survey evidence shows that electorates do not see parties as representative of their interests, and scholars have found that in Mexico parties are not as influential as Teachers Unions in shaping higher education spending. Moreover, research on OECD countries shows that Chile ranks among the least redistributive countries in terms of higher education spending despite the fact that over the past two decades it has been governed by coalitions of center-left parties that are generally thought to be more amenable to higher spending social policies, including higher education. These findings raise important questions: do parties matter for higher education policymaking in Latin America? What is the role of Latin American political parties in higher education policy in the region?