Engineering And Engineers In Chilean Historiography

Abstract

This article reviews differents approaches of chilean historiography research on engineering. Analyzing objects of study, timeframes and sources chosen by differents authors, a categorization was configured based on four observation lines: (i) studies based on evolutionary progressive analytical terms, where the focus is put on buildings, and a scientific character is highlighted; (ii) analysis of chilean professionalization and institutionalization process of engineering; (iii) the alliance formed between engineers and the state during the twentieth century in Chile; and (iv) studies of engineers worldwide, focusing in the spreading of rationality, and the analysis in terms of informal imperialism. Finally, a new research perspective is proposed.

Keywords: Engineering - Chilean Historiography - State of art - Profession.