Los derechos políticos de las mujeres indígenas en contextos migratorios. Evidencia desde la Ciudad de México, Guadalajara y Nuevo León

One of the key issues facing indigenous peoples throughout Latin America in the 21st Century is the cultural impact of migration from their ancestral homes to urban, industrial areas. Such is the case of Mexico, where cities including Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City are receiving record numbers of indigenous migrants. The cultural impact of this process includes the reconfiguration of what it means to be a citizen both within and beyond the community of origin. This situation is particularly accute in the case of indigenous women, given that, although they are likely to be vulnerable in at least four senses (migrant-poor-indigenous-female), nevertheless they may also be able to use the new context to construct different meanings of what it means to be a citizen within their community of origin as well as within society at large. The aim of this study is to trace processes whereby indigenous women in migratory contexts debate, contest, and (re)construct the notion of what it means to be a citizen and to identify the degree to which they are able to enjoy political and civil rights in these contexts. Furthermore, the study seeks to identify the socio-economic, institutional and relational variables that may have an impact on these processes. The study is based on fieldwork carried out in the cities of Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City, involving in-depth interviews and focus groups, in the framework of a 2-year applied research project financed by the Mexican Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT). Having carried out the fieldwork, the second year will be dedicated to desigining and carrying out practical workshops for relevant actors with the aim of strengthening the enjoyment of political and civil rights of indigenous women in migratory contexts in Mexico.

Claire Wright /Universidad de Monterrey