Reforming Chile

“A vivid and lively account. . . . Highly informative.” — Journal of Latin American Studies

“[Barr-Melej’s] analysis is often compelling, particularly when he discusses the effect of the reformist movement on state education policy.” — Times Literary Supplement

“Will interest scholars of Chile, of twentieth-century nationalisms in Latin America, and of middle-class politics worldwide. . . . Compelling and long overdue. . . . Barr-Melej’s important book does a great service by unearthing middle-class reformists' views toward the significant issues of national development and class relations and by supplying glimpses of opposing nationalist ideals.” — American Historical Review

“A complex and accurate portrait of the concerns, culture, and influence of Chile’s emerging middle class. . . . Offers a much-needed corrective to narrow readings of the 'political' in Chilean history, re-introducing some of the period’s key actors at a defining moment in the emergence and consolidation of nationalist discourse.” — The Americas

“Interesting, well researched, and innovative. . . . Provides a different vista of Chile, one that serious historians should consider.” — Estudios Interdisciplinarios de América Latina y el Caribe

“Barr-Melej’s study presents a detailed and persuasive case for the pivotal role of the rising middle class 'mesocracy' in Chile, both through its dominant impact on literary culture and public education and through its reformist, middle-of-the-road, and increasingly influential position within Chilean politics.” — Latin American Research Review

“Barr-Melej is to be congratulated for giving us an extremely interesting new angle on a somewhat neglected period of Chilean history, the period from the 1880s to the 1940s. His description of the nationalist cultural project articulated by the newly salient middle groups in Chilean society is based on an impressive range of Chilean sources, including government archives only recently opened to the public. Future scholars crossing this terrain will be absolutely obliged to take Barr-Melej’s findings into account.” — Simon Collier, Vanderbilt University