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Democracy in Chile
The Legacy of September 11, 1973

Edited by Silvia Nagy-Zekmi and Fernando Leiva
Author text to follow

Democracy in Chile won the Arthur P. Whitaker Prize for the best book published by a MACLAS member in 2005–2006

“This conference volume is unusual – and valuable – for its primary focus on Chile after the end of the dictatorship and the restoration of democracy in 1990. The authors in this anthology generally share the Left’s critical gaze and offer a critique of Chile’s much-lauded transition to democracy and neo-liberal economic miracle, lending the book an ideological cohesion.” The Americas Review

“Almost all contributions are concise, well documented and well written, and together take stock of both the state of affairs of Chile’s efforts to come to grips with its dictatorial history, and of the many pending economic, political and judicial injustices that yet need to be taken on … a timely, well-documented collection that reminds us of the fact that to state that ‘democracy has returned in Chile’ is, to say the least, premature.” European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies

“The date September 11th now most commonly refers to the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks on the United States, but for Chileans it carries resonance as the day in 1973 of Pinochet’s coup against the elected president, socialist Salvador Allende, and the beginning of years of dictatorship. This collection of writings explores the legacies of that fateful day as they were experienced in the immediate aftermath through to today’s democratic era.” Reference and Research

“The interdisciplinary nature of the book enhances its ability to cover a range of topics and incorporate a variety of approaches, thus deepening the scope of questions asked (and answered) and subjects covered. The editors have done a very good job of bringing together an assorted set of chapters that they successfully weave together with helpful introductions… Although each chapter stands on its own, combined they offer a powerful answer to the question: What impact has the military coup that overthrew the Popular Unity government of Salvador Allende had on Chilean society, culture, and politics?” A Journal on Social History and Literature in Latin America

“ Well researched and crafted interdisciplinary essays, and a superb team edition and introductory words. This book not only will take the readers to the indispensable understanding of the reasons that make possible to parallel those two traumatic events in the recent history of the Americas, but also and most importantly it will speak thoroughly to their emotions, reminding them of the continuing dual art of forgetfulness and forgiveness, a crucial task of many successive generations seeking a healthy democracy.” Luis Correa-Diaz, University of Georgia

“This volume gives an overall view of Chile today and it offers the reader an instructive glimpse into what the future might hold for this country.” Marjorie Agosín, Wellesley College

“In an important investigation of Chile after September 11, 1973, the authors and editors have effectively linked particular events and trends in the recent Chilean past with patterns of globalization in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. This excellent collection will be of most use to specialists but also may be rewarding for graduate students interested in recent Chilean history and society.” Hispanic American Historical Review

In the 1990s, Latin America emerged from the horror of massive and systematic human rights violations as the region returned to civilian-elected regimes. Many hoped that such transitions would bring about significant political, economic and cultural change: the rebuilding a more democratic order based on a “culture of human rights” that would reinvigorate democratic practices in the region. Despite the change in political regimes, such aspirations have come up against the “recalcitrant realities” of enduring military enclaves demanding impunity for past crimes, the persistence of neoliberal economics, ineffective and, in some cases, corrupt government coalitions, as well as the seemingly insatiable demands of private domestic and international capital for “flexible” labor and unregulated capital flows.
… The tragic events of 9/11 have become so pivotal in current debates on US domestic and foreign policy, that the “other” 9/11, that which took place three decades ago in Chile, seems to have been relegated to a distant footnote. This volume aims to re-examine Chile’s 9/11 – a historically and symbolically charged event – and to explore the lasting legacy of the transformations brought about by the oppressive regimes of the ’70s and ’80s as they are being experienced today in the cultural, social and intellectual life of the region.

	List of Contents to follow

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