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The new "Chicago Boys"
The number of Chileans who studied Ph.d. economics at the University of Chicago in the 1990s: 4
The number of Chileans studying there since 2001: 10
According to this interesting article, studying at Chicago no longer bears the stigma of association with the Pinochet regime. Nor do those who study at Chicago aspire to be hard-core market reformers. This is a sign of how "normal" Chile has become, and also a sign of how "normal" the University of Chicago has become, but most of all the former.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on August 26, 2008 at 07:03 AM in Education | Permalink
Comments
Maybe the food in Chicago is better now? Are there better Chilean restaurants in Chicago today than there were in the 90s?
http://www.tylercowensethnicdiningguide.com/chilean/
Posted by: at Aug 26, 2008 7:40:43 AM
Was being associated with Pinochet ever a stigma for all Chileans? The CIA didn't create this guy in a laboratory, you know.
Posted by: John S. at Aug 26, 2008 8:17:25 AM
Could you please forward this post to Ms. Naomi Klein.
Posted by: tsonevski at Aug 26, 2008 8:47:49 AM
Hey Tyler,
I'm a long time MR reader and a big fan, but try to be sneakier with the double-takes in the hallway. ;-)
Posted by: Adam at Aug 26, 2008 10:33:03 AM
It's a pity that Tyler relies on El Mercurio to post about Chileans in UChicago's D. of Economics. Most likely the main reason for the sharp decline of Chileans attending UChicago in the 1990s was the lack of funding.
Between 1955 and September 1973, most Chilean students attended UChicago as part of an agreement between UChicago and UCatolica (and also agreements with UChile and Banco Central). I understand that their studies were financed by some US agencies. Some of these Chileans were later known as the Chicago boys.
A second group of Chileans attended UChicago between September 1973 and 1990. Most were financed by the Chilean government as part of a special program. In this period, a few Chileans were financed by US agencies or other sources (for example, Sebastian Edwards and Alejandra Cox Edwards). Indeed the Chilean government program was ended in 1990 and since then the government has preferred to fund graduate studies in other universities.
I understand that lately the Chilean government has been less reluctant to deny funding to Chileans interested in studying in UChicago.
Posted by: E. Barandiaran at Aug 26, 2008 10:38:04 AM
Something else to consider is that the U. of Chicago does not have a stigma in Chile. Although associated with free market policies, almost everyone down there (except for a few on the very left of the political spectrum) agrees with such policies. Furthermore, the idea of studying in the United States is considered prestigious and most economists would have known a professor who studied in Chicago while doing their undergraduate in Chile so they would have a good impression of such university.
And the prestige of the Chicago School of economics translates to other schools of that university. I know people who have chosen to do LLMs (masters in law) and MBAs there just because of the association they have with the institution.
Posted by: Ignacio at Aug 26, 2008 11:43:55 AM
What do you mean by "normal"?
HC
Posted by: Happy Camper at Aug 26, 2008 3:14:40 PM
