Identity Investments: Middle-class Responses to Precarious Privilege in Neoliberal Chile

IAS Visiting Fellow Professor Joel Stillerman delivers a seminar on their research - 

This presentation provides an overview of conceptual and empirical arguments from the book, Identity Investments. It uses the concepts of identity investments and precarious privilege to understand Chile’s middle classes in contrast to other studies that emphasize opportunity hoarding and social mobility. Identity investments are deeply held values that motivate middle class market behaviour.  The presentation will explore the identity investments of four middle class groups – activists, moderate Catholics, youngsters, and pragmatists, which differ in ideological orientation, age cohort membership, economic position, and residential location.  Precarious privilege explains that identity investments reflect Chilean middle class families’ economic vulnerability as neoliberal policies generate job instability. Middle class families’ resources, political and ideological affiliations, age cohort membership, and neighbourhood residence explain variations in their identity investments. The study relies on interviews, participant observation, and photographs of homes in two Santiago, Chile communities and its results offer insights into Chile’s dramatic political changes.

Arrivals from 11:45 am for a 12:00 noon start. For those joining in-person, lunch will be served after the seminar from 1:00pm.

This event is hybrid format, please use the required booking button at the bottom of the page to choose either in-person or online attendance.
(Please note that in-person spaces are limited and booking is required, so we can manage numbers for catering and also the space inside International House)

By booking a place at this event, attendees agree to behave in a respectful manner such that everyone feels comfortable contributing as they wish. The IAS reserves the right to eject anyone who does not abide by this policy.

IAS seminars are typically recorded, minus any Q&A sessions at the end, again to encourage contributions. The recordings are then uploaded to our website on a Fellows bio page and/or Programme page, along with our IAS YouTube Channel. If you are not able to attend a seminar live, please do still register as we will email everyone who registered to let them know once the recordings are made available.