Publication:

Ideological evolution of social entrepreneurship: Insightsfrom Chile 1960–2020

Social entrepreneurship is often framed as a transformative force foraddressing societal challenges, yet its ideological underpinnings remainunderexplored, particularly outside of the Global North. This studyaddresses this omission by exploring the role of ideologies in shapingthe evolution of social entrepreneurship in Chile between 1960 and2020, a context marked by ideological polarisation as well as a vibrantcontemporary social entrepreneurship sector. We use historical meth-ods to explore the role of Catholic Social Teaching and neoliberalism inshaping approaches to social welfare, leading to social entrepreneur-ship’s emergence (1990–2010) and growth (2010–2020). Our findingsreveal an ideological synthesis that forms the basis for contemporarysocial entrepreneurship, underpinned by dimensions of messianism,markets, and managerialism. By highlighting the role of religious andeconomic ideologies in structuring the field, we offer new insights intothe contested nature of social entrepreneurship and its role in contemporary social change.