Abstract

The process of modernization in Chile during the last decades of the 20th century, accelerated a decoupling between society and the Catholic religion, while a more diverse religious panorama emerged in the country. Due to the historical importance of confessional schools as religious-based social organizations, and the lack of literature regarding their transformation during the last ten years, we study the evolution of such schools in Chile. Based on quantitative secondary data from the Ministry of Education, we aim to explain trends in the number and enrolment in confessional schools in the last decade based upon a New Institutionalist theoretical framework.