"From socialization to critical situations: experts in Economics' dilemmas and assemblages in Argentinean neoliberal refoms"

HEREDIA, MARIANA

Buenos Aires

Conferencia; Global & Regional Powers in a changing world; 2014

International Studies Association & FLACSO

Economists´ rise as officials accompanied the adoption of structural reforms in Latin America and Eastern Europe. Early researches emphasized elites´ technocratization in these countries and the movement of public decision-making from states and political parties to economists' internationalized networks. In this context, socialization and sociability of these professionals in American universities and international organizations were taken as explanatory variables for the orthodox policies adopted. The focus on critical situations provides other elements to understand economic policies and the role of experts. This strategy highlights the importance of challenges and reasons privileged by local actors. Complementing studies of diffusion, this paper argues that decentralized decisions of national governments are a key chapter of neoliberal assembly. Based on interviews and archives, this paper presents a pragmatic shift in the study of experts, it develops the methodological requirements of this turn and exemplifies the challenges, justifications and guidelines adopted by officials in the convertibility plan (1991).