The University of Concepción (Chile) between everyday life and politics (1960–1973)

Youth, culture and political effervescence

Abstract

Between 1960 and 1973, under the governments of Alessandri, Frei Montalva, and Allende, the University of Concepción became a space for the articulation of everyday life, youth culture, and political radicalization. In a context of educational expansion and social ferment, university youth transformed the campus and the city through cultural and political practices such as festivals, murals, film forums, marches, conferences, and publications. This article proposes that a politicized youth culture emerged during this period, in which ideological, aesthetic, and everyday dimensions converged, generating collective repertoires of resistance that went beyond the academic sphere. Using a qualitative methodology with a historical-cultural approach, based on press sources and institutional archives, this article analyzes how these youth challenged the established order and redefined urban spaces, articulating symbolic forms of activism. The theoretical framework draws on British cultural studies, especially the Birmingham School, to understand youth cultures as fields of meaning and resistance. The results show that the University of Concepción functioned as a territory of political and cultural experimentation, where youth became active subjects of social transformation.