In my dissertation I adopt an interdisciplinary approach to explore a crucial moment in the intellectual history of Ecuador and Brazil and the way in which late 19th and early 20th century writers articulate a representational discourse that reveals the contradictions of liberalism and modernity. I argue that after entering the modern world-system, Ecuador and Brazil undergo a comparable modernization process, which entails the emergence of the cities of Guayaquil and Rio de Janeiro as new centers of political and economic power. The study of the coincidences and discrepancies between the two national processes sheds light on antagonistic cultural systems coexisting within the realms of the new metropolis. My dissertation consists of an introduction and five chapters. In the introduction, I present the theoretical framework and explain the key concepts that are common currency in contemporary attempts to articulate cultural analysis with its social and historical reality. Chapters 1 and 2 look at the origins of Ecuadorian and Brazilian identities in the works of writers José de Alencar and Juan León Mera. I intend to trace budding national identities in each of their essays about language, race, and politics, as well as in their foundational fictions, Iracema: Lenda do Ceará (1865) and Cumandá: un drama entre salvajes (1879). Chapters 3 and 4 problematize the ways in which the novels O cortiço (1890), by Brazilian Aluízo Azevedo, and A la costa (1905), by Ecuadorian Luis A. Martínez, are linked to the intricate local debates about slavery, internal migration, and the participation of both national economies in the modern world system. I contend that the narratives of Azevedo and Martínez become “hinge-novels” for glimpsing the “national” within the “liminal,” even though they fail to foresee the disencounters between the dominant and the subaltern classes. In Chapter 5, I explore the locus of enunciation from which Ecuadorian Jorge Icaza attempts to represent marginal social groups. I argue that Icaza’s Huasipungo (1934) reveals the ineffectiveness of the liberal project and helps establish the agency of marginalized groups in the Andean hacienda. The incorporation of these marginal discourses into his narratives constitutes the first endeavor to provide subaltern groups with a voice. / text

<p>The narrative of the Ecuadorian César Dávila Andrade (Cuenca, Ecuador 1918 - Caracas, Venezuela 1967) is of great importance for the literature of his country; however, it has not been studied very frequently, as critics have focused on his poetry. This has mainly shown Dávila Andrade as a poet, rather than a narrator. However, his short stories constitute a considerable body of work and must be considered for a global understanding of his work. This dissertation aims to show that the short stories have to be considered an important part of the literary work of Dávila Andrade. Furthermore, the dissertation is part of a process of a contemporary rereading of Ecuadorian canonical authors; specifically, I propose an innovative analysis, based on abjection, gender and body, of texts that have traditionally been studied from narratological and stylistic perspectives only. For this study, I selected stories from different periods in Davila Andrade's career: “Un centinela ve la vida aparecer” (1966), “El hombre que limpió su arma” (1966), “Cabeza de gallo” (1966), “La autopsia” (Revista Tomebamba 1943), “Autopsia” (1952), “Las nubes y las sombras” (1952), “Un cuerpo extraño” (1955), “El último remedio” (1955), “La batalla” (1955), “La mirada de Dios” (1949), and “Ataúd de cartón” (1952). In these short stories, abjection is a subversive category that allows the author to question the constitution and ontology of reality. Julia Kristeva’s theoretical proposal defines abjection as what reminds the individual of a state of being of undifferentiation (before and after existence), in which he/she ceases to be; the presence of the abject puts at risk the existence of the subject within a social system. Specifically, the body in different states in the Davilian narrative is the main abject element that disfigures the categories and hierarchies of symbolic systems (patriarchy and religion are some examples). The Davilian body is essentially feminine and constitutes abjection; it is presented as a border space where reality loses its contours. Similarly, the diseased body and the corpse are constant elements in the Davilian narrative, inhabitants of unstable worlds, which invade places and the characters’ psyches. In conclusion, Dávila Andrade's short stories are occupied by the abjection of bodies, which functions as a concept that allows the dismantling of imposed, closed systems, based on hierarchies, such as patriarchy and religion.</p>

In an increasingly polarizing world, the debate on the importance of public opinion in shaping foreign policy decisions has been raging over. This study explores the interactions between Chinese investment and credit and public opinion about China in Ecuador from 2012 to 2021 through two classical international relations theories: the realist and liberal hypotheses. Ecuador was selected as a case study because it is among the four Latin American countries that have received the most significant amounts of Chinese loans in the 21st century. We use a mixed methods approach combining a time series regression model to explore the evolution of Ecuadorian public opinion, as well as media content analysis of mainstream Ecuadorian news on Chinese investments. To run the regression model, we draw upon Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) survey waves. LAPOP is a unique survey exploring public opinion on foreign policy in Latin America in general and in Ecuador in particular. The media content analysis was based on top three newspapers in Ecuador by circulation: El Comercio, El Telégrafo, and El Universo. Research findings suggest that a realist approach contributes more to understanding attitudes of Ecuador’s foreign policymakers regarding Chinese investments over the years. In effect, Ecuadorian foreign policymakers seemingly ignore local public opinion when defining the country’s relations with China. The realist perspective allows to interpret the untangling between public opinion and Ecuadorian foreign policy because of the volatility of Ecuadorian public opinion about China, as evidenced by LAPOP surveys. Another explaining factor is the limited influence of Ecuadorian citizens living in provinces with a strong Chinese economic presence. Finally, the combined results of our newspaper content analysis and our regression study demonstrate that despite being systematically exposed to mainstream news which are predominantly negative regarding Chinese finance in Ecuador, a high proportion of Ecuadorian newspaper readers maintain a positive opinion about China. Further research on Chinese public diplomacy efforts in the country is needed to fully disaggregate the impact of Chinese loans and investments on public opinion about China in Ecuador. This could provide timely information about the complex dynamics of public perceptions and foreign relations in a moment where political and economic hegemonies are being rapidly reshaped.

Depuis les années 1970, les imposantes structures fortifiées de la vallée du fleuve Cuyes, -située au sud de l'Équateur, à la frontière entre les Andes et l’Amazonie correspondant à la province de Morona Santiago-, ont attiré l'attention des anthropologues et archéologues : ces constructions ont-elles été bâties et occupées par des populations andines ? amazoniennes ? à quelle époque et dans quel contexte ? La thèse vise à alimenter la discussion grâce à l’application d'une méthodologie d’analyse de la céramique ancienne tout à fait novatrice pour l’archéologie de la région, basée sur le concept de chaîne opératoire et une lecture anthropologique du matériel. / Since the 1970’s, the impressive fortified structures of the Cuyes river valley -located in the south of Ecuador, at the border between the Andes and the Amazonian lowlands-, have caught the interest of anthropologists and archaeologists: were these structures built and inhabited by Andean populations? Amazonian? when and in what kind of context? The dissertation aims at bringing new data to the debate through the use of a methodology of analysis of ancient ceramics totally new for the archaeology of the region, based on the concept of “chaîne opératoire” and on an anthropological interpretation of the material.

[ES] Los Waorani del Ecuador son una nacionalidad indígena de reciente contacto. Su territorio ha ido modificándose debido a las presiones extractivas que le han devenido. La migración interna es uno de los efectos visibles de esta realidad. Shellpare es el espacio geográfico donde se han asentado familias waorani que empujan un modelo de desarrollo desde el derecho a la educación, salud y trabajo digno. El objetivo central de este trabajo de investigación es determinar cómo las relaciones sociales intergeneracionales de la Nacionalidad Waorani influyen en la reproducción de las lógicas de manejo territorial ancestral en el barrio waorani en Shell. La Metodología desarrollada es cualitativa. Toma los aportes de la Escuela Intergeneracional Wiñenani-Pikenani y desarrolla procesos como el Campeonato Intergeneracional de Futbol, para la recolección de datos. Se describe el camino ético de la investigación, así como sus principales retos. Se explica la utilidad del programa NVIVO12+ para organizar la información. Entre los resultados se puede destacar que las relaciones sociales intergeneracionales desarrollan formas de diálogo con interacciones tanto materiales como inmateriales entre lo humano y no-humano. Así mismo, se construyen desde el aprender-haciendo, lo que fortalece el concepto de intergeneracionalidad. Otro resultado es el entramado que emerge de ligar las relaciones sociales intergeneracionales (adaptabilidad, proficiencia, enunciación verbal, enunciación no verbal, integrativas, libertad, materialidad e inmaterialidad) con el manejo territorial vernáculo (alta movilidad interna, mapeo territorial, gestión político-administrativa y sistema productivo). Permitiendo concluir que esta contribución empírica es el primer acercamiento a la realidad urbana de los waorani. El aporte al debate teórico a través de conceptos como las interacciones entre lo humano y no-humano, el aprender-haciendo con enfoque intergeneracional y el manejo territorial sostenible dan una posibilidad de reflexión teórica sobre la territorialización de la intergeneracionalidad. Finalmente, se concluye que los conflictos por distribución ecológica que permean la vida de las poblaciones desfavorecidas modifican sus territorios y las formas de relación con lo no-humano. La crisis civilizatoria que el modelo industrial globalizado empuja afecta principalmente a los grupos históricamente excluidos y a los espacios geográficos con bienes comunes extraíbles. / [CA] Els Waorani de l'Equador són una nacionalitat indígena de recent contacte. El seu territori ha anat modificant-se a causa de les pressions extractives que li han esdevingut. La migració interna és un dels efectes visibles d'aquesta realitat. Shellpare és l'espai geogràfic on s'han assentat famílies waorani que espenten un model de desenvolupament des del dret a l'educació, salut i treball digne. L'objectiu central d'aquest treball de recerca és determinar com les relacions socials intergeneracionals de la Nacionalitat Waorani influeixen en la reproducció de les lògiques de maneig territorial ancestral en el barri waorani en Shell. La Metodologia desenvolupada és qualitativa. Presa les aportacions de l'Escola Intergeneracional Wiñenani-Pikenani i desenvolupa processos com el Campionat Intergeneracional de Futbol, per a la recol·lecció de dades. Es descriu el camí ètic de la investigació, així com els seus principals reptes. S'explica la utilitat del programa NVIVO12+ per a organitzar la informació. Entre els resultats es pot destacar que les relacions socials intergeneracionals desenvolupen formes de diàleg amb interaccions tant materials com immaterials entre l'humà i no-humà. Així mateix, es construeixen des de l'aprendre-fent, la qual cosa enforteix el concepte de intergeneracionalidad. Un altre resultat és l'entramat que emergeix de lligar les relacions socials intergeneracionals (adaptabilitat, proficiencia, enunciació verbal, enunciació no verbal, integratives, llibertat, materialitat i immaterialitat) amb el maneig territorial vernacle (alta mobilitat interna, mapatge territorial, gestió polític-administrativa i sistema productiu). Permetent concloure que aquesta contribució empírica és el primer acostament a la realitat urbana dels waorani. L'aportació al debat teòric a través de conceptes com les interaccions entre l'humà i no-humà, l'aprendre-fent amb enfocament intergeneracional i el maneig territorial sostenible donen una possibilitat de reflexió teòrica sobre la territorialització de la intergeneracionalidad. Finalment, es conclou que els conflictes per distribució ecològica que permean la vida de les poblacions desfavorides modifiquen els seus territoris i les formes de relació amb el no-humà. La crisi civilizatoria que el model industrial globalitzat espenta afecta principalment als grups històricament exclosos i als espais geogràfics amb béns comuns extraïbles. / [EN] The Waorani of Ecuador are an indigenous nationality of recent contact. Its territory has been changing due to the extractive pressures that have come to it. Internal migration is one of the visible effects of this reality. Shellpare is the geographical space where Waorani families have settled, pushing a development model based on the right to education, health and decent work. The central objective of this research work is to determine how the intergenerational social relations of the Waorani Nationality influence the reproduction of the logics of ancestral territorial management in the Waorani neighborhood in Shell. The methodology developed is qualitative. It takes the contributions of the Wiñenani-Pikenani Intergenerational School and develops processes such as the Intergenerational Soccer Championship, for data collection. The ethical path of research is described, as well as its main challenges. The usefulness of the NVIVO12 + program for organizing information is explained. Among the results, it can be highlighted that intergenerational social relations develop forms of dialogue with both material and immaterial interactions between the human and the non-human. Likewise, they are built from learning-doing, which strengthens the concept of intergenerationality. Another result is the framework that emerges from linking intergenerational social relations (adaptability, proficiency, verbal enunciation, non-verbal enunciation, integrative, freedom, materiality and immateriality) with vernacular territorial management (high internal mobility, territorial mapping, political-administrative management and productive system). Allowing to conclude that this empirical contribution is the first approach to the urban reality of the Waorani. The contribution to the theoretical debate through concepts such as the interactions between human and non-human, learning-doing with an intergenerational approach and sustainable territorial management provide a possibility of theoretical reflection on the territorialization of intergenerationality. Finally, it is concluded that the ecological distribution conflicts that permeate the lives of disadvantaged populations modify their territories and the forms of relationship with the non-human. The civilizational crisis that the globalized industrial model pushes mainly affects historically excluded groups and geographical spaces with extractable common goods. / Duque Orozco, GE. (2021). Las relaciones sociales intergeneracionales de la nacionalidad Waorani y la reproducción de las lógicas de manejo territorial ancestral en el barrio waorani en Shell [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/180282 / TESIS

<p>Legislation on benefit sharing dates back to 1992 and the commandment of the UNConvention on Biological Diversity, hence implementation still has few cases to fall back on(CBD, 1992). The case study of the project ProBenefit presented by the thesis highlights howlack of deliberation can undermine a democratic process. The objective of the thesis is thatProBenefit’s attempt to implement the standards of the CBD on access and benefit sharingwill highlight not only problems met by this specific project, but difficulties that generallymeet democratic processes in contexts of high inequality. To define if the project ProBenefitsucceeded in carrying out a deliberative process the project will be analyzed by the criteria:access to information, representation, legitimacy and involvement.The population in the project area of ProBenefit had a long history of social marginalization,which made it hard for foreign projects to gain legitimacy. The lack of independentorganizations and the late establishment of the project, which resulted in time shortage, madeit impossible to prevent the distrust of the local population. The failure of the projectcoordinators to ensure active participation of all stakeholders resulted in a late and lowinvolvement of the local participants. The absence of independent organization also madedemocratic legitimacy of the process questionable. Even if ProBenefit had a vision ofdemocratic deliberation the project was unable to break down the prevailing unequal powerdistribution which resulted in an unsustainable process and failure. The conclusion of thethesis is that the attainment of deliberation foremost depends on how a project deals with theexisting distribution of power and how it succeeds in involving all stakeholders.</p>

Legislation on benefit sharing dates back to 1992 and the commandment of the UNConvention on Biological Diversity, hence implementation still has few cases to fall back on(CBD, 1992). The case study of the project ProBenefit presented by the thesis highlights howlack of deliberation can undermine a democratic process. The objective of the thesis is thatProBenefit’s attempt to implement the standards of the CBD on access and benefit sharingwill highlight not only problems met by this specific project, but difficulties that generallymeet democratic processes in contexts of high inequality. To define if the project ProBenefitsucceeded in carrying out a deliberative process the project will be analyzed by the criteria:access to information, representation, legitimacy and involvement.The population in the project area of ProBenefit had a long history of social marginalization,which made it hard for foreign projects to gain legitimacy. The lack of independentorganizations and the late establishment of the project, which resulted in time shortage, madeit impossible to prevent the distrust of the local population. The failure of the projectcoordinators to ensure active participation of all stakeholders resulted in a late and lowinvolvement of the local participants. The absence of independent organization also madedemocratic legitimacy of the process questionable. Even if ProBenefit had a vision ofdemocratic deliberation the project was unable to break down the prevailing unequal powerdistribution which resulted in an unsustainable process and failure. The conclusion of thethesis is that the attainment of deliberation foremost depends on how a project deals with theexisting distribution of power and how it succeeds in involving all stakeholders.

[ES] La situación pandémica mundial ha hecho que la educación en todos sus niveles tome como alternativa para su continuidad la virtualización de esta; por lo que este trabajo de investigación pretende analizar las perspectivas de los docentes y estudiantes frente a la virtualización educativa como alternativa en tiempos de COVID-19 en la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas de la Universidad Central del Ecuador La investigación se realizó bajo un enfoque mixto cuali-cuantitativo, con un diseño no experimental - transeccional, utilizando como técnicas la encuesta y la entrevista, a través de la aplicación de un cuestionario y de la entrevista grupal respectivamente. La población quedó constituida por 1209 estudiantes y 60 docentes de las Carreras de Ciencias Políticas, Sociología y Trabajo Social que conforman la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas de la Universidad Central del Ecuador, Hallándose como conclusión principal que, de forma inicial la virtualización de la educación fue acogida de forma positiva entre docentes y estudiantes; pero que existen carencias en ciertas áreas para su ejecución, como son la escasez de equipos tecnológicos en los hogares de los estudiantes, mala conectividad a internet, falta de capacitación apropiada a estudiantes y docentes, factores que amplían la brecha digital por las desigualdades ya existentes. La tecnología sin duda abre grandes posibilidades para el aprendizaje en la educación superior, pero la carencia de los recursos tecnológicos apropiados y la falta capacitación de muchos de los docentes imposibilita esta oportunidad. / [CA] La situació pandèmica mundial ha fet que l'educació en tots els seus nivells prenga com a alternativa per a la seua continuïtat la virtualització d'aquesta; pel que aquest treball de recerca pretén analitzar les perspectives dels docents i estudiants enfront de la virtualització educativa com a alternativa en temps de COVID-19 en la Facultat de Ciències Socials i Humanes de la Universitat Central de l'Equador. La investigació es va realitzar baix un enfocament mixt cuali-quantitatiu, amb un disseny no experimental - transeccional, utilitzant com a tècniques l'enquesta i l'entrevista, a través de l'aplicació d'un qüestionari i de l'entrevista grupal respectivament. La població va quedar constituïda per 1209 estudiants i 60 docents de les Carreres de Ciències Polítiques, Sociologia i Treball Social que conformen la Facultat de Ciències Socials i Humanes de la Universitat Central de l'Equador. Trobant-se com a conclusió principal que de manera inicial la virtualització de l'educació va ser acollida de manera positiva entre docents i estudiants; però que existeixen carències en unes certes àrees per a la seua execució, com són l'escassetat d'equips tecnològics en les llars dels estudiants, mala connectivitat a internet, falta de capacitació apropiada a estudiants i docents, factors que amplien la bretxa digital per les desigualtats ja existents. La tecnologia sens dubte obri grans possibilitats per a l'aprenentatge en l'educació superior, però la carència dels recursos tecnològics apropiats i la falta de capacitació de molts dels docents impossibilita aquesta oportunitat. / [EN] The global pandemic situation has made education at all levels take its virtualization as an alternative for its continuity; Therefore, this research work aims to analyze the perspectives of teachers and students in the face of educational virtualization as an alternative in times of COVID- 19 at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the Central University of Ecuador The research was carried out under a mixed quali-quantitative approach, with a non- experimental - transectional design, using the survey and the interview as techniques, through the application of a questionnaire and the group interview respectively. The population was made up of 1,209 students and 60 teachers of the Careers of Political Sciences, Sociology and Social Work that make up the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the Central University of Ecuador, Finding as a main conclusion that initially the virtualization of education was received in a positive way among teachers and students; but that there are shortcomings in certain areas for its implementation, such as the shortage of technological equipment in the students' homes, poor internet connectivity, lack of appropriate training for students and teachers, factors that widen the digital divide due to existing inequalities. Technology certainly opens up great possibilities for learning in higher education, but attention to appropriate technological resources and the lack of training of many teachers makes this opportunity impossible. / Valladares Villagómez, MA. (2021). Perspectiva de los docentes y estudiantes frente a la virtualización educativa como alternativa en tiempos de COVID-19 en la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas de la Universidad Central del Ecuador [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/180345 / TESIS

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