Life Trajectories and Higher Education Access for Chilean Indigenous Students: Mapuche Students in STEM and STEM-related Fields as Participants in Academic and Indigenous Cultures

ABSTRACT

Various studies have sought to understand factors affecting low university retention rates of indigenous students. However, little is known about students who successfully complete undergraduate programs in STEM fields. This investigation, utilizing the life history approach, analyzed academic trajectories of 11 Mapuche graduates or near-graduates from such programs in south-central Chile. The analysis showed that students who were successful in obtaining degrees had experienced early participation in communities that encouraged an academic culture. These were constituted by their families, teachers, and friends, and participation occurred throughout their lives as they successfully negotiated their identities as indigenous and academically talented students.

KEYWORDS:

• Mapuche students
• academic pathways
• university retention
• stem fields
• indigenous identity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

¹ The Explore Project is a national program belonging to Chile’s Ministry of Education that promotes the dissemination and appreciation of science and technology.

² The PSU (University Selection Exam) is the standardized university entrance exam in Chile; it is normally retaken when changing universities or degree programs.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Chile’s National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FONDECYT) under Grant #11170994; and the Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Desarrollo, y Creación Artística (Vice-Rectory of Research, Development, and Artistic Creation) of the Universidad Austral de Chile under Grant [#S-2015-51].