Vestiges of other relations: Weaving our lives across a two-nation divide Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Aguirre, Elea Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 17:10:27 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280145 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction Is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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ProQuest information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 VESTIGES OF OTHER RELATIONS: WEAVING OUR LIVES ACROSS A TWO-NATION DIVIDE by Elea Aguirre Copyright © Elea Aguirre 2002 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2002 UMI Number: 3073183 Copyright 2002 by Aguirre, Elea All rights reserved. UMI UMI Microform 3073183 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. Ail rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Infonmation and Leaming Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor. Mi 48106-1346 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA i GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by ELEA AGUIRRE entitled VESTIGES OF OTHER RELATIONS: WEAVING OUR LIVES ACROSS A TWO-NATION DIVIDE and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 10-an - CL Date ( // RICH^ A. TH0MPS0^7 Date i Date GONZALEZ Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. jsertation Director Date JANE H. HILL 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: ^ 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Without the support and warmth from the members of my dissertation committee, this research project would probably not have reached its joyful conclusion. I am particularly indebted to Dr. Jane Hill, my dissertation advisor, for her wisdom and resolve and, of course, for her wonderful and contagious laughter and no-nonsense approach to everyday life. I am very grateful to Dr. Richard Thompson, whose knowledge, time and overall belief and support sustained several of us through our doctoral studies. Dr. Norma Gonzalez not only brought cheerfulness and strength to my research efforts at the end of every semester, but more recently provided me with the necessary incisive questions that have pushed me to clarify and fasten arguments of this dissertation. I am especially grateful to Norma for having encouraged me to continue when I thought I needed to quit. The women involved in this research effort in Ciudad Juarez and El Paso are also at the center of my gratitude because of their ideas and words, our shared moments and more. I am particularly grateful to Maria Isabel A. Clarke, Refugio Jaquez Provencio de Guerra, Antonina Avvocato de Quirarte, Maria Teresa Rojas de Romero, Antonia Chavez Serrano, the Lady from Stanton Street and MAW, for their friendship, love and lessons of life. Maruca San Martin de Badia, Laura Carrillo, Gloria Hoyos, Martha Samaniego, Luz Maria Villalba, and Ana Zubia Osante are the best cheerleading squad anyone can hope for. And Emma Carrejo, RMBG, SG, Marta Susana Berroteran de Gomez, Pilar Cotera de Herrera, AMMM, and Bertha Robles Sifuentes quietly stood by the trenches after having provided me with hours of their scarce time as well as with key research elements. And I am especially grateful to Josefina Cuellar Rich, not only for casually providing me with the wonderful metaphor of El Engranaje, but for showering my mother with love and affection during the crucial years of my dissertation research. I am additionally thankful to my other professors at the University of Arizona, especially Drs. Patrick Culbert, Brackette Williams, and the late Daniel Nugent for their trust in me. And a special acknowledgement goes to Dr. Adela Artola Allen from the Graduate College at U. of A. for her time and financial support. In El Paso, Dr. Arturo Pacheco, Lupita Montat)o and Manolo Rosas, as well as my daughter, Elea Uraga, provided the much-needed writing shelters. These shelters ended up being my havens of solace and concentration but also of hope and possibilities. My appreciation for their generosity and faith in me. Drs. David Eyde and Alejandro Lugo have been key in my development as an anthropologist, and so have my colleagues and friends, Zulma Mendez and Paola Sesia. To them, my heartfelt thank you. Hortensia Caballero, Jacqueline Messing, Guillermo Niinez-Noriega, Kerstin Reinschmidt and Eda Ena Saynes V. contributed to my formation in all sorts of beautiful ways throughout our shared doctoral ordeal. And Maribel Alvarez, mi hermana y colega, gracias por todo tu apoyo, amor, e intercambio de ideas. Finally, my love and gratitude to Jorge and Eleita, my strength and joy, who, with the silencing of Tio Luis, they simply doubled their support and affection. 5 DEDICATION Para Gabriela y Carlos Nugent, agradeciendo todo lo que su padre, el Dr. Daniel Nugent, contribuyo a mi formacion academica. A mi maestra, Raquel Rubio-Goldsmith, con profundo agradecimiento. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 9 PREFACE-THE SITE 11 CHAPTER 1 - THE RESEARCH PROJECT AT A GLIMPSE Introduction 18 Detecting Transformed Colonialism 22 Fieldwork Experience 24 El Engranaje 31 Burguesas Pero Piadosas 35 Muy Mexicanas, Pero 39 El Otro Lado 43 Weaving our Lives across a Two-Nation Divide 45 CHAPTER 2 - FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE, METHODS OF RESEARCH Introduction - Coming Home 48 Deciphering the Research Goal 52 Approaching "The Fieldwork Experience" 54 Specifically, Who and How? 55 Una Tacita de Cafe - The Flavor of the Utterance 61 Re-Creating an Utterance for Interpretation 67 Conclusions 70 CHAPTER 3 - EL ENGRANAJE Introduction - From the field notes on an evening of social production 75 El Engranaje 84 Our (Bourgeois) Ways 92 European Bourgeois at El Paso del Norte 99 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Hay que acomodar 105 Conclusions 121 CHAPTER 4 - BURGUESAS PERO PIADOSAS Introduction - The Pious Ways 127 Field Notes on Simplicity—or Is It? - April, 1997 130 Talking about Work and Purpose 136 Gender in the Context of Social Reproduction 143 More than Piety 147 Vestiges of Other Relations 150 Becoming a Part of the Spanish Colonial Map 153 Piadosas de Hoy - Doing Things Out of Love 161 Conclusions: Paradoxical Uses of Capitals 172 CHAPTER 5 - MUY MEXICANAS, PERO... Introduction 177 Nation Making Outside of Nation 179 Field notes on the production and reproduction of Mexico - June 1997 183 Nation Making—A Process and a Feeling 188 In the Field - Luchi 195 In the Field - Ana 206 Conclusions 215 CHAPTER 6 - EL OTRO LADO Field notes: Waiting at the Cordova Island Bridge - April 1997 222 Introduction - Crossing the Political Divide 223 Medio Burguesas 228 Medio Piadosas 243 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued Americanas pero Mexicanas 250 Conclusions 257 CHAPTER 7 - WEAVING OUR LIVES ACROSS A TWO-NATION DIVIDE Introduction 267 Unresolved Issues of Self and States 268 Nina and Mariquita 274 Premises of the Investigation 285 Summary of Findings 288 Bringing Closure 299 APPENDIX 302 REFERENCES 304 9 ABSTRACT This study, grounded on fieldwork carried out in the cities of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, looks at the narratives of women who describe themselves, and are identified by others, as belonging to what is called in Mexico, the well-positioned middle classes. From these narratives of privilege, the author looks at the differentiating ways of these women and includes, within theoretical and historical