Reforming Chile

Cultural Politics, Nationalism, and the Rise of the Middle Class

By Patrick Barr-Melej | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

Highlighting the crucial yet largely overlooked role played by society’s middle layers in the historical development of Latin America, Patrick Barr-Melej provides the first comprehensive analysis of the rise of Chile’s middle-class reform movement and its profound impact on that country’s cultural and political landscapes. He shows how a diverse collection of middle-class intellectuals, writers, politicians, educators, and bureaucrats forged a “progressive” nationalism and advanced an ambitious cultural-political project between the 1890s and 1940s. Together, reformers challenged the power of elite groups and sought to quell working-class revolutionary activism as they endeavored to democratize culture and fortify liberal democracy.

Using sources that range from archival documents and newspapers to short stories, novels, and school textbooks, Barr-Melej examines the reform movement’s cultural ideas and their political applications, especially as they were articulated in the areas of literature and public education. In the process, he provides a new framework for understanding Chile’s cultural and political evolution, as well as the complicated place of the middle class in a society experiencing the swift changes inherent in capitalist modernization.

Editions of Reforming Chile

Hardcover
ISBN 9780807826041
Paperback
ISBN 9780807849194
EBook
ISBN 9780807875612
PDF
ISBN 9798890873491

Read an Excerpt

Highlighting the crucial yet largely overlooked role played by society’s middle layers in the historical development of Latin America, Patrick Barr-Melej provides the first comprehensive analysis of the rise of Chile’s middle-class reform movement and its profound impact on that country’s cultural and political landscapes. He shows how a diverse collection of middle-class intellectuals, writers, politicians, educators, and bureaucrats forged a “progressive” nationalism and advanced an ambitious cultural-political project between the 1890s and 1940s. Together, reformers challenged the power of elite groups and sought to quell working-class revolutionary activism as they endeavored to democratize culture and fortify liberal democracy.

Using sources that range from archival documents and newspapers to short stories, novels, and school textbooks, Barr-Melej examines the reform movement’s cultural ideas and their political applications, especially as they were articulated in the areas of literature and public education. In the process, he provides a new framework for understanding Chile’s cultural and political evolution, as well as the complicated place of the middle class in a society experiencing the swift changes inherent in capitalist modernization.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Reforming Chile about?

Highlighting the crucial yet largely overlooked role played by society’s middle layers in the historical development of Latin America, Patrick Barr-Melej provides the first comprehensive analysis of the rise of Chile’s middle-class reform movement and its profound impact on that country’s cultural and political landscapes. He shows how a diverse collection of middle-class intellectuals, writers, politicians, educators, and bureaucrats forged a “progressive” nationalism and advanced an ambitious cultural-political project between the 1890s and 1940s. Together, reformers challenged the power of elite groups and sought to quell working-class revolutionary activism as they endeavored to democratize culture and fortify liberal democracy.

Using sources that range from archival documents and newspapers to short stories, novels, and school textbooks, Barr-Melej examines the reform movement’s cultural ideas and their political applications, especially as they were articulated in the areas of literature and public education. In the process, he provides a new framework for understanding Chile’s cultural and political evolution, as well as the complicated place of the middle class in a society experiencing the swift changes inherent in capitalist modernization.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Reforming Chile?

History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas

Where can I read a sample of Reforming Chile?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807826041

How long is Reforming Chile and how many pages does it have?

Reforming Chile has 312 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Reforming Chile?

Patrick Barr-Melej

Who is the Publisher of the book Reforming Chile?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Reforming Chile is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807826041) and paperback(ISBN 9780807849194) and ebook(ISBN 9780807875612) and pdf(ISBN 9798890873491)

Where can I buy Reforming Chile online or support local independent bookshops?

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Where can I buy Reforming Chile?