Navigating borders and boundaries: migrant perspectives on settling in and moving on
SPEAKERS: Christien Klaufus, CEDLA – UvA
DISCUSSANT: soon available
DATE: 7 March 2025
TIME: 15:30
ACTIVITY: CEDLA LECTURE
VENUE: Vox-Pop, Binnengasthuisstraat 9, Amsterdam
In cases of heightened immigration to consolidating informal settlements, various dynamics come into play. On the one hand, traditions of mutual aid may foster a receptive attitude toward newcomers, as residents understand firsthand the challenges of starting a new life from scratch. On the other hand, given their own struggles to establish infrastructure and secure livelihoods, the host community may view newcomers as competitors seeking to benefit from their hard-earned gains. For immigrants, adjusting to a new community often involves navigating unfamiliar norms and facing prejudice or discrimination. As such, their strategies to “salir adelante” (move forward) tend to be shaped by mixed opportunities and setbacks. From an analytical standpoint, periods of significant transnational migration intensify a variety of visible and invisible borders and boundaries. This lecture examines how urban borderscapes structure both neighborhood space and the social fabric, focusing on informal settlements that exhibit enclave-like characteristics. Drawing on new research in Medellín, Colombia and San José, Costa Rica within a NWO-funded project, the lecture explores these boundaries and potential spaces for convergence, offering preliminary findings that illuminate how migrants respond to these challenges. See www.cedla.nl/urban-project for more information on the project ‘Contesting Urban Bordescapes in Latin America: Investigating governance through b/ordering processes in self-help neighbourhoods’.