Youth activism in Latin America refers to young adults' political practices and meanings situated within the particular historical and social conditions of this region. Even though examples of youth activism date back to the 1600s, young adults' political practices and meanings have only recently begun to be seen in their own right. This is because youth political subjectivities have long been constrained by long-standing social hierarchies, including those based on age, as well as by the tentative relationship between state and society.