Policy Debates on Pension Reform in Chile: Economists, Masculinity and the Mobilization of Strategic Ignorance

In 2016, nationwide protests in Chile demanded a major reform to the privatized pension system. However, experts saw protesters' demands as not a viable policy option. In this study, I demonstrate how a group of free-market economists acquired authority as experts in pension policy by gendering their expertise. As a result, they have been able to deny, suppress, and dismiss knowledge on topics and views aligned with citizens' demands. First, my research shows how experts, through gender relations, create knowledge and ignorance in policymaking processes. Second, I demonstrate how free-market capitalism is legitimated through the hegemony of masculinity.