Resisting ‘Universal Nursery Policy Project’ in Chile: Early Childhood Education Professional Associations and Unions reconceptualizing neoliberal professionalism

Abstract

This article unpacks ECE professional associations and unions (ECEPAUs) pathways of resistance to a ‘Universal Nursery Policy Project’ (UNPP) and how ECEPAUs have reconceptualized the professionalism of the nursery within the Chilean neoliberal agenda. Drawing on a post-qualitative methodology, with three datasets of participant observations, in-depth interviews, discussion groups, and inductive thematic content analysis, findings show three resistance pathways building professionalism: 1) Working mother critique and lobbyist creations rebuilding technical professionalism; 2) Babies’ forgotten right to education critique and walkouts for ground-up professionalism; and 3) Nursery marketization critique and dialogic creations for democratic and social justice professionalism. Finally, we discuss how pathways of resistance to UNPP entangle critique and creation to build coexistant technical and alternative professionalisms. Though ECEPAUs’ resistance to UNPP does not transform neoliberal professionalism, it envisions the professionalism of the nursery as a common good, reconceptualizing it in the public dialogue for greater justice from the cradle.