Academic Forum for the New Constitution in Chile

English

Chile’s constituent process is being closely watched across the world. Not only does reform offer a path out of the profound legitimacy crisis threatening Chilean democracy, but it offers Chileans an opportunity to build a more inclusive, participatory, and responsive system. As such, the repercussions of Chile’s process will likely extend beyond its borders. Thanks to strong state institutions and an effective rule of law, any innovations produced by Chile’s constituent convention will likely have teeth—and likely endure.

Throughout the constitutional change, DRCLAS will provide a platform for open and high-caliber academic debate on critical issues facing Chileans as they rethink and redesign their constitution. Aimed at an audience extending beyond Chile to include the rest of Latin America and the United States, the Foro will bring together scholars, practitioners, and opinion leaders from across the political spectrum—and across the world--to debate issues such as social rights and the future of Chile’s famed economic model, how to restore legitimacy to a political system that has lost public trust, the promise and limitations of a “green” constitution, the potential role of direct and participatory democratic institutions, and how to improve democratic representation, especially of women, indigenous communities, and other historically under-represented minorities.

Collaborative Institutions

Organized by:

Chile Regional Office and Andes & Southern Cone Program, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Harvard University

With the collaboration of:

School of Law, Universidad Católica
School of Government, Universidad Católica
Institute of Political Science, School of History, Geography and Political Science, Universidad Católica
Institute of Public Affairs, Universidad de Chile
Instituto Milenio Fundamentos de los Datos
Constitutional Laboratory, Universidad Diego Portales
Harvard Chilean Student Association

Español

El proceso constituyente de Chile está siendo seguido de cerca en todo el mundo. La reforma no solo ofrece un camino para salir de la profunda crisis de legitimidad que amenaza a la democracia chilena, sino que ofrece a los chilenos la oportunidad de construir un sistema más inclusivo, participativo y receptivo. Por lo tanto, es probable que las repercusiones del proceso se extiendan más allá de sus fronteras. Gracias a instituciones estatales sólidas y a un estado de derecho efectivo, las innovaciones resultantes de la convención constituyente de Chile tendrán fuerza — y probablemente perdurarán en el tiempo.

A lo largo del cambio constitucional, el DRCLAS proporcionará una plataforma para un debate académico abierto y de alto calibre, para abordar los temas críticos que enfrentan los chilenos al repensar y rediseñar su constitución. El Foro, dirigido a una audiencia que se extiende más allá de Chile, pretende incluir al resto de América Latina y a los Estados Unidos, reuniendo a académicos, profesionales y líderes de opinión de todo el espectro político, y del mundo entero, para debatir temas como: los derechos sociales, el futuro del famoso modelo económico de Chile, ¿cómo restaurar la legitimidad de un sistema político que ha perdido la confianza pública?, la promesa y las limitaciones de una constitución “verde”, el rol potencial de las instituciones democráticas directas y participativas, y ¿cómo mejorar la representación democrática, especialmente de mujeres, pueblos indígenas y otras minorías históricamente subrepresentadas?

Instituciones Colaboradoras

Organizado por:

Oficina Regional en Chile y Programa Andes & Cono Sur, Centro David Rockefeller para Estudios Latinoamericanos, Universidad de Harvard

Con la colaboración de:

Facultad de Derecho, Universidad Católica
Escuela de Gobierno, Universidad Católica
Instituto de Ciencia Política, Facultad de Historia, Geografía y Ciencia Política, Universidad Católica
Instituto de Asuntos Públicos, Universidad de Chile
Instituto Milenio Fundamentos de los Datos
Laboratorio Constitucional, Universidad Diego Portales
Asociación de Estudiantes Chilenos de Harvard

Constitution Webinar Videos

The Academic Forum for the new Constitution in Chile contributed with a high level of panelists to an enlightening academic debate on Chile’s constitutional process (2020-2023).

A total of 66 scholars, practitioners, and opinion leaders from 35 institutions in Chile and abroad participated as speakers, bringing together different points of view and political perspectives.

This critical thinking promoted a transversal dialogue concerning the constitutional process in Chile about the most relevant topics in the nation-building project. The Forum held between December 2020 and February 2024 was followed in 49 countries, reaffirming our commitment to reach the largest audience globally.

We offer a platform with a hub of webinars, one forum, and a seminar for educational purposes and academic reviews. Our 14 videos in English and Spanish had 8,200+ views (March 2024).

The webinars concerning the first stage of the constitutional process reached the largest number of attendees, the legal framework being the topic of highest interest in the series. This stage took place during the pandemic in 2021 and 2022.

Watch Entire Series