Politics and Culture in the construction of identity in Chile

The debate over modernity in Chile has normally focused on practical and empirical rather than on theoretical aspects. José Joaquín Brunner has suggested that the publications on modernization in Chile often account for specific experiences of modernity, which aim to build up policy strategies for the achievement of such forms of modernity. Gerard van der Ree points out that this tendency is due to two characteristics of Chile¿s intellectuals: firstly, they perceive modernity as achievable, and thus they conduct the debate on practical rather than philosophical or theoretical terms. From other hand, they often participate actively in national politics and thus encourage a policy-oriented intellectual creation.