“In view of the completion and approval of the degree and graduation works: ‘Pedophiles and Infants, folds and folds of desire’ and ‘The pedagogue’s denied desire: to be a pedophile’ —self-explanatory titles—, the undersigned express our astonishment and rejection as university students”. This is how a group of academics from the University of Chile referred to the thesis presented at the Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities in 2016 and which was widely criticized and stoned on social networks due to its content.
Indeed, the academics point out, “these theses relativize pedophilia by exposing and justifying situations that go against the dignity and rights of children and adolescents, whose protection should be the highest priority.”
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The professors of the University of Chile declare that they made a life choice by joining an institution where, in their opinion, “ethics, freedom, tolerance, transparency and respect for Human Rights should prevail.” From this position, they affirm that their authorities, who have already proposed important actions, “must act with the most energetic measures, so that the free expression of academic research is not confused with the justification and apology of aberrational behaviors.”
“Given the moral and patrimonial damage caused to the University by the described situation, we demand that the summary announced by the highest authority be carried out in the shortest term, its results be made known to the university community and the country, to restore confidence in our institution”, the academics conclude.
Sign the letter:
- Marcelo Arnold, member of the Department of Anthropology of the Faculty of Social Sciences and former dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences for two periods (2006-2014).
- Leonardo Basso, academic at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Chile.
- Soledad Berríos, academic at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile and associate professor in the Human Genetics Program of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine.
- Pedro Calandra, director of Communication, head of the Ruy Barbosa Library and former director of Extension (2011-2014) of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the University of Chile, as well as vice president of the Agronomic Society of Chile SACH from 2019 to date .
- Gladys Camacho, Professor of Administrative Law at the University of Chile (Public Administration) and former Dean of the Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences at the University of Atacama (2000-2001).
- María Paulina Correa, PhD from the Complutense University of Madrid and academic at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology
- Rolf Foerster, a researcher specialized in anthropology and Mapuche history, Rapa Nui and the Colonialism of the State of Chile towards these ethnic groups. Since 1990 he has been an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Chile.
- Consuelo Fresno, academic at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Chile.
- Maricruz Gómez de La Torre, tenured professor of Civil Law, undergraduate and postgraduate, at the Faculty of Law U. de Chile. She received the Award for the most outstanding lawyer in teaching Law, granted by the Chilean Bar Association (2010).
- Denisse Karl, academic professor of the Department of Medical Technology of the Faculty of Medicine U. de Chile.
- Sergio Lavandero, academic and principal investigator and director of the Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDIS). In 2022 he received the National Prize for Natural Sciences.
- Boris Marinkovic, surgeon and associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine.
- Sonia Montecino, anthropologist and writer. She obtained the National Award for Humanities and Social Sciences in 2013.
- Natalia Muñoz, academic from the Department of Law. She was a substitute Minister of the Constitutional Court (TC).
- Marioly Müller, assistant professor of the Department of Medical Technology of the Faculty of Medicine U. de Chile.
- José Rodríguez Elizondo, lawyer, diplomat and internationalist awarded in 2021 with the National Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities. In addition, he carried out diplomatic functions in Israel as ambassador.
- Richard Solis, director of the Museum of Chemistry and Pharmacy and Director of Extension and Communications of the Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences U. de Chile
- Alvaro Tejos, assistant professor of the Department of Public Law of the Faculty of Law U. de Chile.
- Daniela Thumala, psychologist, doctor in psychology and master’s degree in Anthropology and Development from the same university, as well as associate professor in the Department of Psychology where she works in the area of Clinical Psychology, systemic line.
- Teodoro Wigodsky, associate professor of Industrial Engineering and professor of the chairs of Strategic Management, Corporate Governance, Free Competition and Ethics in the Market, Company and Business.
