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Union Affiliation and Civic Engagement: Teachers in Bogotá, Colombia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 December 2021

Christopher Chambers-Ju Open the ORCID record for Christopher Chambers-Ju [Opens in a new window]  and
R. Douglas Hecock Open the ORCID record for R. Douglas Hecock [Opens in a new window]
Christopher Chambers-Ju
Affiliation:
Christopher Chambers-Ju is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Texas, Arlington, TX, USA. cchambersju@uta.edu.
R. Douglas Hecock
Affiliation:
R. Douglas Hecock is an associate professor of political science at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, USA. douglas.hecock@bucknell.edu.
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Abstract

Do labor unions still motivate their members to participate in politics, or have social and economic changes undermined their political importance? This question is important to revisit, as globalization and economic reform have weakened many popular sector organizations in Latin America, reducing some to mere patronage machines. This article examines the case of the teachers’ union in Bogotá, Colombia to assess whether and how labor unions are able to promote the political activation of their members. Employing a multimethod research design that begins with a quantitative analysis of a survey of Colombian teachers, this study finds that union affiliation is associated with higher levels of motivation to vote. It then uses evidence from interviews to show how union advocacy and internal elections for leadership positions shape political behavior, contributing to civic engagement. This research engages with broader debates about democratic quality and political representation in contemporary Latin America.

Keywords

Labor unionsclientelismcivic engagementeducation politicsdemocracy
Type
Research Article
Information
Latin American Politics and Society , Volume 63 , Issue 4 , November 2021 , pp. 1 - 21
Copyright
© The Authors 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the University of Miami

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Footnotes

Conflicts of interest: Authors Christopher Chambers-Ju and R. Douglas Hecock declare no conflicts of interest.

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