Betty Elings Wells Pavilion, The Club at UCSB
Demanding a Radical Constitution (Palgrave McMillan, 2025) draws on collaborative research by faculty and students from UCSB and Chile, who participated in the Burdick Global Scholars Program in 2023. The Burdick helps UCSB students rise to the challenges of our global society by extending the study abroad experience beyond the classroom. Led by Professors Javiera Barandiarán and Tristan Partridge, undergraduate students learned about Chilean politics and history. They then traveled to Chile, conducting research alongside Chilean academics and grass roots organizations in rural communities near Santiago.
This panel will bring together several authors who contributed to the book, including Javiera Barandiarán (Global Studies), Tristan Partridge (Blum Center), Maite Salazar (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile), Isabella Millet (UCSB, Class of 2024), and Mia Wercinski (UCSB, Class of 2026). The discussant will be Kai Thaler (Global Studies).
This book documents the critical thinking and political actions that generated one of the world’s most progressive national constitutions, presented to the Chilean public in 2022. Though ultimately rejected by referendum, that text was at the forefront of global efforts to create more just and equitable political systems, healthier living environments, and more resilient ecosystems. Find the Open Access book here.