Doing Politics Differently: Middle-Class Youth and Politics in Contemporary Lima

Two recent studies of the political identities, discourses, utopias, and practices of young middle-class people in contemporary Lima indicate that, contrary to a common narrative of "antipolitics," they had a critical rather than a negative relationship with politics. While they largely rejected traditional political institutions and identities, they had strong political values and ideals and many ideas for change. They were looking for a different way of doing politics rather than a retreat from it and pursued this through a diverse range of political practices. However, these discourses and practices had certain limitations, in particular with respect to their ability to forge strong alliances and bring about substantial change. Dos estudios recientes sobre las identidades politicas, discursos, utopias y practicas de jovenes de clase media en Lima contemporanea indican que, contrariamente a una narrativa comun de "antipolitica", tenian una relacion critica mas que negativa con la politica. Si bien rechazaron en gran medida las instituciones e identidades politicas tradicionales, tenian fuertes valores e ideales politicos y muchas ideas para el cambio. Estaban buscando una forma diferente de hacer politica en vez de retirarse de ella y la persiguieron a traves de una amplia gama de practicas politicas. Sin embargo, estos discursos y practicas tenian ciertas limitaciones, en particular con respecto a su capacidad para forjar alianzas solidas y lograr cambios sustanciales.