Juventud, Democracia y Participación Ciudadana en el Ecuador

Resumen

This article reports the findings of a qualitative study of Ecuadorian youth perspectives on democracy and participation. Perceiving a clear distinction between "democracy" and "politics," which they observe as a negative realm of corruption and exclusion, Ecuadorian youth see potential for creating positive social change through their concepts of democratic participation -namely action on a local and interpersonal basis- while they see political channels as ineffective or blocked to them. It is through these processes, and outside of the political institutional infrastructure, that they construct an inclusive citizenship. The article reflects on these findings within the framework of theoretical discussions of democracy in Latin America. Key words: Youth, democracy, Ecuador, Latin America, participation, citizenship, institutions, politics.