International Multilingual Journal of Contemporary Research

The Neoliberalism in Crisis: StudentsCritical Perspective
Oswaldo Méndez-Ramírez

Abstract
This document presents how university students from four countries (Chile, Mexico, Argentina and Spain) define Neoliberalism. The research results are derived from a qualitative / interpretative design. To obtain the data, the technique of natural semantic networks was used. The sample consisted of 350 students (n = 350). 70 students from Chile, Argentina and Mexico and 140 from Spain. Fieldwork was carried out in Chile in April 2012 (U de Chile), Mexico in May 2014 (UADEC), Argentina in October 2014 (U Nacional de Córdoba) and in Spain in April 2015 (U de Salamanca). The findings of research allow us to interpret that for university students in these four countries Neoliberalism is constructed by four analytical dimensions: (1) epistemological bases [ideology, politics], (2) economic model [market, economy, capitalism, freedom], (3) the effects of the model [inequality, injustice, poverty] and (4) social aspirations [society, new, equality]. Assuming the responsibility of establishing a conclusion for handling an interpretative study, it is possible to state that for students, Neoliberalism is: an ideology that established an economic model strongly based on capitalist market and the idea of freedom; it has only produced inequality, injustice and poverty; contrary to the social aspirations of equality.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/imjcr.v7n2p1