From the Publisher
“This detailed and empirically rich volume brings together contributions that look at maternalism from a variety of angles, underlining the force with which it has shaped social identities, public policies and collective action in Chile. It is a testimony to the pervasiveness, but also to the malleability and ambiguity of maternalist idea(l)s, their historical and sectoral situatedness, their strategic uses and abuses in struggles over gender equality and women’s rights. The conclusion is clear: whether we like it or not, maternalism continues to be a concept and force that feminist research and practice will have to grapple with. As such, the book will be welcomed by both academics and activists in Chile and beyond.” (Silke Staab, UN Women, author of Gender and the Politics of Gradual Change: Social Policy Reform and Innovation in Chile (Palgrave Macmillan 2017))“This theoretically rich collection masterfully analyzes the complex and contested intersection of maternalism, state power,and women’s activism. Through an intensive focus on Chile, the authors explore the historical importance and continuing salience of maternalism in shaping how citizens make demands on the state and the policies and laws produced in response. Grappling with the fraught politics of maternalism, the authors provide new insights into how essentialized understandings of motherhood help reproduce the raced, classed, sexed, and gendered divisions of power in society.” (Gwynn Thomas, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Global Gender and Sexuality Studies, University at Buffalo, SUNY, USA)
“Embraced or contested, maternalism is embedded in Latin America´s policy and politics. Focusing on the emblematic case of Chile, the editors of this volume bring together a diverse set of conceptual and empirical analyses capable of catapulting forward research and policy agendas addressing the numerous facets of maternalism. For scholars interested in learning about the changesand continuities of the topic across sectors and historical periods, this volume is a must read.” (Juliana Martínez Franzoni, Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Políticos, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica)
