La construcción semántica de problemas sociales en la política pública. El caso de la política de vivienda en Chile

The study of public policy has been addressed mainly from technical and theoretical perspectives that paid special attention to the results and processes under which they are designed. This paper analyzes how the State constructs its social problems on the basis of semantic formulations that condense orientations and meanings originated in multiple social spheres. The approach is developed through the analysis of the Chilean case of housing policy. Results indicate that four periods can be identified, each representing substantive changes in the State construction of the housing problems: from dwelling place to house, from the semantics of deficit to the juridification of housing, from juridification to the economic semantics, and finally, to the semantics of social inclusion through housing. The methodological strategy bases on the revision of acts and laws, which condenses and legitimates decision-making processes that shape public policy.