Factores socio organizativos incidentes en la participación política estudiantil en la Universidad Técnica de Machala

Abstract

The research project entitled "Socio-organizational factors incident in the political participation of students in the technical university of Machala" deals with a little visible issue, but of great relevance in the university context: the restricted political involvement of students. Far from being a simple lack of interest, this study aims to explore in depth the organizational and cultural structural factors that directly influence this problem from a sociological approach based on the structural-functionalist approach. The purpose of the following research work is to understand in a deeper way how institutional structures, power dynamics, forms of student organization and communication channels influence the political participation of students, in order to generate inputs that allow proposing actions to strengthen their involvement in university democratic processes. The aim was to make visible the obstacles that hinder this participation and to propose ways to promote a more inclusive, participatory, and representative environment within university life. To achieve this purpose, a mixed approach methodology had to be applied, i.e. quantitative and qualitative. From the quantitative approach, a structured survey was designed which was applied to 201 students, who were selected from the total universe of the UTMACH. On the other hand, from the qualitative approach, semi-structured surveys were carried out with several professors of the sociology career, with the aim of being able to deepen the knowledge, discourses and experiences on the study problem. Among the main results, it was evident that, although there is a hidden interest on the part of students in participating politically, this interest does not translate into concrete actions. The data also reflect that the existing spaces for participation within the university are not perceived as accessible or open by a large part of the student body. Emphasizing the findings, interpreting them from a sociological point of view, they show the existence of hierarchical structures that restrict participation, as well as the weakness of an active and sustained student political culture. As a contribution to this study, a modification of the university statutes is proposed, which contemplate formal mechanisms of participation, open, accessible and constant, as well as an institutional dissemination capacity that facilitates the visibility of these places. This proposal aims to strengthen university governance, promote students' sense of identity and dedication and build a more democratic and inclusive academic community.