Ricardo A. Ayala – författare

This book offers the first in-depth account of healthcare policy in Chile across the twentieth century. It charts how nursing and nurses intersected with the political context of healthcare, with a focus on the country’s transition across welfare systems. Drawing on extensive archival research and interviews with nurses and governmental representatives, this book explores how the nursing profession implemented and challenged reform, while policies had an impact on nurses. It analyses nurses’ employment and mobility, and their lobbying through the press and through unions. The authors demonstrate that while Chilean health policy was influenced by US cultural politics, reform depended on the flexibility and willingness of nurses to carry through reforms. By examining the participation of the largest female professional group, the book offers new insights into the privatization of society on the pinnacle of industrial development and seeks to contribute to contemporary debates onChile’s welfare system. It is a vital read for scholars researching the history of public health.

Aimed at supporting their emancipatory project, this book explores strategies for resisting dominance and enhancing agency within the caring professions. It helps bridge the gap between theoretical and practical autonomy in these fields, which have long been overshadowed by other professional groups. The book scrutinises the often-misunderstood notion of autonomy, which is frequently equated with mere independence—an equation that can paradoxically undermine, rather than improve, care quality. Additionally, it critiques the prevailing lack of a specific philosophical framework for practice. Existing literature typically approaches professional autonomy through a liberal philosophy lens or loosely assigns moral agency to groups, leading to a view of autonomous professions as analogous to autonomous individuals. By presenting a critical overview of the main schools of thought on autonomy—emphasising group autonomy and the specific challenges faced by caring professions—this book aims to fill a significant gap. It includes case studies to ground its theoretical insights in practical examples from real-world scenarios, helping the caring professions identify both autonomy issues and opportunities for enhancing autonomous practice.