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Comparative Higher Education Policy Under Nondemocratic Regimes in Argentina and Chile: Similar Paths, Different Policy Choices

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Abstract

Despite their common historical roots, two higher education systems in Latin America differ dramatically in their financing mechanisms. In Argentina, the national government completely subsidizes undergraduate programs in public institutions, while Chile relies mostly on tuition fees charged to individuals attending public institutions. Through quantitative and qualitative secondary sources, this paper shows that class interests (structural approach) and economic policies (ideational approach) played a major role in explaining comparative policy outcomes in these nondemocratic regimes. The article makes an explicit contribution to the understanding of comparative policy choices in nondemocratic regimes.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Zsófia Barta for feedback on early drafts. The author would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful and constructive comments that greatly contributed to improving the final version of the article. All views expressed in this article are those of the author.

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  1. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Enderis Hall 621, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI, 53201-0413, USA

    Dante J. Salto

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Salto, D.J. Comparative Higher Education Policy Under Nondemocratic Regimes in Argentina and Chile: Similar Paths, Different Policy Choices. High Educ Policy 35, 63–80 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-020-00194-x

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