Navigating Authoritarianism: The Ford Foundationâs Response to the 1973 Coup in Chile

Abstract

This report examines how the Ford Foundation responded to the challenges posted by the 1973 coup, focusing on its immediate reaction to the dictatorship, human rights violations, and the growing refugee crisis. The documents examined are particularly relevant for the early years after the coup (1973-1974), providing insights into the decision-making process about research funding in an authoritarian context and the refugee trajectories of those supported by the Foundation. Some of the most poignant memos are those where local foundation staff report on military repression on university campuses, arrests, and early testimonies of human rights violations targeted at academics. These responses shaped the Foundation's subsequent policy towards authoritarian Chile and its approach to the democratic transition in the 1980s. Drawing on documents from the Ford Foundation archive, this report shows that the refugee programme became a key mechanism to preserve intellectual networks and independent research in Chile