- Project Summary: In no more than 200 words, provide a brief description of your project, including the key questions your project attempts to answer and a brief discussion of how you intend to answer those questions.
- Deadline: March 1st Friday, 11:59 pm
In my final project, I aim to explore the implementation of neoliberal economic policies in Chile under the dictatorial regime of Augusto Pinochet. Known as the ‘Chilean Miracle’, this period of time was characterized by radical economic transformation. After the 1973 coup by Pinochet, the ‘Chicago boys’ were brought into Chile with goals of stabilizing inflation, economic liberalization, and privatization of state-owned businesses. My primary objective is to conceptualize how these neoliberal ideas traversed national boundaries. How did these economic policies emerge in Chile within the contentious political context, and what repercussions did they have on Chilean society? How did political paradigms affect this circulation of ideas from the United States to Chile? What does the Chilean ‘experiment’ demonstrate about the feasibility of neoliberal reform?
I plan to answer these questions through political and social research comparing the Allende and Pinochet regimes, as well as looking at the ways ideas were disseminated from the US to Chile through politics. Although subject to change, my final project will be in the form of a podcast. I plan to imitate the popular Freakonomics podcasts, giving a brief overview of the ‘Chilean Miracle’, how it began (through the circulation of ideas), and determining whether or not it was successful.
Comments:
This is a very interesting project, Sydney. I liked how you are framing it and your questions. I think you are on the right track. Doing a podcast is also a great idea!
If you will compare Allende and Pinochet regimes, make sure to justify why you want to compare these two periods: why do you want to compare these two periods? What do you want to find out about Chile and neoliberalism by making this comparison?
Also, I do not know if your project will be only historical (which would be totally fine) but there is an interesting ethnography on Chile titled Life in Debt: Times of Care and Violence in Neoliberal Chile. Below is the link:
I’ve not read the book myself but I heard good things about it.
I look forward to reading and listening to your final project.