Living Uncertain Citizenship: Everyday Practices of Bolivian Migrants in Chile

LIVING UNCERTAIN CITIZENSHIP: EVERYDAY PRACTICES OF BOLIVIAN MIGRANTS IN CHILE. Ryburn, Megan Jessica The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author For additional information about this publication click this link. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/12911 Information about this research object was correct at the time of download; we occasionally make corrections to records, please therefore check the published record when citing. For more information contact [email protected] LIVING UNCERTAIN CITIZENSHIP: EVERYDAY PRACTICES OF BOLIVIAN MIGRANTS IN CHILE Megan Jessica Ryburn Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. School of Geography and School of Politics and International Relations Queen Mary, University of London November 2015 To Liz Ryburn, and in memory of Murray Ryburn DECLARATION I, Megan Jessica Ryburn, confirm that the research included within this thesis is my own work or that where it has been carried out in collaboration with, or supported by others, that this is duly acknowledged below and my contribution indicated. Previously published material is also acknowledged below. I attest that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law, infringe any third party’s copyright or other Intellectual Property Right, or contain any confidential material. I accept that the College has the right to use plagiarism detection software to check the electronic version of the thesis. I confirm that this thesis has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree by this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. Signature: Date: 23 November 2015 1 ABSTRACT This thesis examines the everyday citizenship practices of Bolivian migrants in Chile, and the ways in which migrant organisations influence these practices. It contributes to a growing body of literature that comprehends citizenship as both formal and substantive and is interested in migrants’ incorporation within these different spheres. It is also situated within the incipient scholarship on South-South migration, and is among the first qualitative studies to address Bolivian migration to Chile. Bolivians conform one of the larger groups in an increasing migration flow to Chile, and are thought to be one of the most vulnerable. To date, however, there has been little that analyses their experiences in depth. Working across space and scale, nine months of multi-sited ethnographic research aimed to begin to fill this knowledge gap. Throughout five sites in Chile and Bolivia, participant observation was undertaken with migrant organisations, at community events, and in migrants’ homes. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 migrant participants, and sixteen representatives of migrant organisations and the state. Empirically, the project indicates that many Bolivians in Chile endure multiple exclusions from citizenship. These occur transnationally and are caused by varied structural, but also agentic, factors. The intersectional approach taken underscores the social identities that make exclusions more likely. Nevertheless, through engaging in varied citizenship practices, often with support from organisations, migrants are able to achieve greater inclusion. Conceptually, the thesis develops the idea of overlapping, fluid transnational spaces of citizenship, which represent its legal, economic, social, and political dimensions. They are produced through interrelations between processes from above, individual practices from below, and actions of migrant organisations. Migrants may be inside and outside different spaces of citizenship simultaneously. Those who live a complex array of inclusions and exclusions experience uncertain citizenship, the other core concept advanced in this work. 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There have been so many people whose support has been fundamental during the past three and a bit years of research and writing. First, my most sincere thanks to Professor Cathy McIlwaine. Her expertise and research experience have been – and will continue to be – a source of great inspiration. I am also extremely grateful for her invariably insightful comments on my work, kindness, and generosity. Very many thanks too to Professor James Dunkerley, who has given such valuable feedback throughout the process, and whose breadth of knowledge, passion for his work, and encouragement has likewise been truly inspiring. I am deeply indebted to all who participated in this project and to those who were colleagues, and became friends, at the migrant organisations with which I worked in Chile and Bolivia. I cannot name you here, but please know that the stories and knowledge that you shared with me have been my motivation on a daily basis. Thanks are also due to Dr Menara Lube-Guizardi and others at the Universidad Alberto Hurtado who generously invited me into their networks. This research would not have been possible without a Queen Mary Principal’s Studentship, and additional funding for fieldwork from the Queen Mary Postgraduate Research Fund and the Society of Latin American Studies. I am very grateful for their support. Thank you also to Ed Oliver at Queen Mary and to Alice Volpi, graphic designer and good friend in Chile, for assisting with the production of maps and images. My heartfelt gratitude to those who shared their homes with me in Chile and Bolivia; in particular Carolina, Daniela, Juan, Paty and Kati, María Rosa and Álvaro. Thank you so much for your warmth and openness, as well as humour and compassion in the face of earthquakes and food poisoning. And of course thank you to my Chilean family, who have always welcomed me with such open arms, and delicious vegetarian asados: Tía Nora, Tío Basilio, Rodrigo, Ale, Adelmo, Rocío, Camilo, and Joaquín. On the other side of the world, I am very grateful to Helen, Ruth, Paul, Jess and Maya, Lizzie and Philip who put me up and put up with me in London over the course of my studies. To Gran, Sue, Robin and Ben, thank you for your encouragement. To Finlay and Caitlin, thank you so much for your enthusiasm over the years, and for ensuring I never become too serious. Special thanks to my dear friend Helen for all of her support, particularly in the last few months, and even when we’re on different continents. And to my other wonderful friends in the UK and scattered across the globe – Annabelle, Hayley, Julia, Kirsten, Lauren, 3 Rachel, Sarah, Suzy, Vicky, and all the members of Los Compadres and their families – thank you for providing light relief in the form of curries, Skype sessions, marathons, wine tastings, and so much fantastic music. Finally, my deepest thanks to my fantastic husband Pablo for always being there in so many ways throughout all that this has entailed – it would take many more pages to fully acknowledge the magnitude of your contribution, from debates on epistemology to ensuring that I eat things other than chocolate. And to my mum, Liz, and in memory of my dad, Murray, for instilling in me through actions and conversations a concern with social justice, and for your constant support and inspiration over the years. This is dedicated to you both. 4 CONTENTS Declaration ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Table of Figures ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Glossary and acronyms ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Rethinking migration and citizenship ........................................................................................................................................ 12 Structure of the thesis ........................................................................................................................................................................ 16 2. Transnational social spaces of citizenship: A framework for analysing migrants’ in/exclusions from citizenship .................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Perspectives on migration: Transnationalism, intersectionality, and the view from the global South ..... 21 Perspectives on citizenship: From liberal traditions to Latin American approaches ......................................... 29 Citizenship and migration: A productive dialogue

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