Socialization and formation of Argentinean political elites at the end of the twentieth century. University itineraries and student activism in the building of political careers

Abstract

This article explores the processes involved in the construction and reproduction of political careers in contemporary Argentina. It analyzes the socialization itineraries of a generation of politicians who became active during the return of democracy in 1983. Based on a study of their collective biographies, the article shows the importance of the university experience and of student political activism, as they provided relevant knowledge and allowed for participation in political networks that later became important for the exercise of professional politics. An important theoretical contribution of the article is to show the usefulness of taking time into account to illuminate the construction of political careers.

Keywords:
political elites; socialization; university; politicization; Argentina