Dissonances in the Institutionalization of Gender in Chilean Universities: Theoretical Reflections for the Ongoing Debate 1

Sandra Vera Gajardo (), Antonieta Vera, Tamara Vidaurrazaga Aránguiz, Andrea Vera-Gajardo, Claudia Montero and Lelya Troncoso
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Sandra Vera Gajardo: Department of Sociology, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiago 8340575, Chile
Antonieta Vera: Department of Philosophy, Center for Gender and Culture Studies in Latin America, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile
Tamara Vidaurrazaga Aránguiz: Faculty of Social Sciences and Education, Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano, Santiago 8340000, Chile
Andrea Vera-Gajardo: Instituto de Matemáticas y Centro de Estudios Interdisciplinarios en Teoría Social y Subjetividad, Uni-versidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile
Claudia Montero: Institute of History and Social Sciences, University of Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2202000, Chile
Lelya Troncoso: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 8330111, Chile

Societies, 2025, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-19

Abstract: The Chilean feminist movements challenged the state and educational authorities regarding recurring instances of gender-based violence that were perpetuated and silenced. Reports of harassment and sexual abuse led to a broader critique about the ways in which education plays a part in the establishment of a model that sustains gender gaps. University authorities responded with institutional policies, establishing protocols and formal spaces to address these issues. However, these measures have revealed new problems. Given that the institutional response to the feminist uprising illuminated a range of nuances, obstacles, and new tensions related to issues of punishment, reparation, and justice, we identify four critical points of these political dissonances that emerged in Chilean universities following this cycle of protests: 1. problems in the definition and naming of violence and experiences of grievance; 2. public exposure of grievances, including “ funas ” (public shaming) and punitive practices; 3. disputes over the meaning of the slogan “non-sexist education”; 4. challenges in integrating the feminist complaint within the university community. Based on the analysis of slogans, key protest moments, and a comprehensive literature review, we argue that these tensions may hinder feminism’s transformative potential while simultaneously enabling a valuable internal critique.

Keywords: grievances; feminist movement; punitive practices; university; gender-based violence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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