Public Seminar Series: From #Metoo to the feminist funa in Chile

IN-PERSON EVENT

Abstract: This talk critically explores the political practices of online public shaming with regard to gender violence in Chile and their ability to trigger feminist social change. The central argument is that ‘funa’ (online public shaming), as a feminist practice, offers a problematic pathway to social change, which, despite contributing to de-naturalising violence against women, does not address the structural causes of gender violence. Online public shaming, as a feminist practice and strategy for change, triggers critical moral and social dilemmas, generating a questionable feminist transformation. The talk examines those dilemmas, presenting the advances and setbacks of current feminist movements, with a special focus on Chile. It contributes to the reflection on feminist movements in terms of their ability to trigger social change. 

Biography: Dr Blanca Larrain is a social scientist and has a PhD in Social Development Planning at University College of London, UK. She studied psychology at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile followed by a Master in Sociology at Alberto Hurtado University and then completed an MSc in Social Development Practice at UCL. She has worked as a researcher, consultant, and practitioner, exploring social development, public policies analysis, citizen-state relationships (governance and participation) as well as gender and inclusion, mainly in Latin America and the UK.