MIURA Kota
| MIURA Kota |
| [Belonging・Position] | Latin American Studies Group, Area Studies Center |
| [Research Field] | Latin American Studies, Chilean Politics, Social Movements |
| [email] |
Kota_Miura 
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| researchmap | Profile Information (Research history, education, papers & publications) |
Previous research
My research has focused on the Chilean student movement, which demanded tuition-free higher education, from the 2000s to the 2010s.
From the standpoint of social movement studies, I have studied the conditions under which the student movement had a greater impact on policymaking. Specifically, I analyzed how the student movement was able to push the new policy idea of tuition-free higher education onto the political agenda as well as why the policies that were implemented differed from their demands.
From the standpoint of area studies, I have also examined the significance of the student movement by placing it in the context of the macro-sociopolitical changes seen in Chile in the 2010s, including the surge of protests and the turn away from neoliberalism.
Current research projects
First, as an extension of my previous research, I am studying the political impacts of social movements in Latin America. In particular, I am studying the mechanisms that determine the political impact of social movements, with a focus on the interactions among social movement organizations, politics, and civil society.
Second, I am conducting research on a type of political party called “movement parties” that have emerged from social movements. Movement parties have formed in Chile and other countries around the world in recent years. I am interested in what makes them different from social movements, how they develop from social movements, and whether they lead to a deepening of democracy.
Third, I am studying recent changes in Chile. Since protests began in 2019, Chile has been undergoing major social change. I would like to capture the big picture of these changes and ascertain what direction Chile is heading in.