Los psicólogos y las políticas públicas en América Latina: El big mac y los caballos de Troia

Abstract

Many Latin American societies have recently consolidated democratic regimes and moved cautiously but seriously towards different variations of a basic but still very fragile welfare State. Psychologists have played an active role in this process, both through their specific fields of expertise - in health, education and social assistance - and also through their engagement with communities and social movements. A new generation of psychologists has turned away from the traditional professionaloption of the liberal autonomous and sought opportunities within the new spaces being created in State, civil society and public interest agencies and within the discursive terrain of public policy, rights and citizenship. Whilst recognizing that this is a positive move forward, this paper questions prevailing assumptions that regard public policy, rights and citizenship as institutional certainties and arguesthat, on the contrary, rights and citizenship are far from consolidated in many areas of public action. As a result of this institutional fragility, Latin American psychology needs to urgently develop and incorporate new concepts and skills that enable it to play a more active role in the construction of everyday democracy.