Social Science and Public Policy in Chile: what does the state research, how is it done, and what is it for?

Abstract

This article presents some of the results of a study on the links between social science research and the formulation and management of the public policies in Chile after the democratic transition. Through an analysis of studies conducted in traditional, new and political ministries, the article examines four issues: a) the state's researchers and their work conditions, b) the content of the research, c) methodological perspectives, and d) the use of the research. The answers to these questions provide some conclusions on two aspects: to the state, what is the impact of these studies on the quality of the public policies within the context of the debates on the quality of democracy in Chile; and to the social sciences, how does the presence of the state as one of the main applicants of the scientific knowledge affects the development of disciplines, especially the sociology.