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Ethnicity and economics in Punta Arenas, Chile

This thesis examines the association between ethnic relations, ethnic cohesion and economic activities in Punta Arenas, Chile, a city inhabited by immigrants from Europe, Central Chile and Chiloe and their descendants over the last century. Through the historical study of changing ethnic interaction in economic activities, marriage and social institutions in the city, of the organization of each of twelve ethnic collectivities, and the analysis of occupational and marital data on nearly seven thousand individuals we demonstrate that the concept of ethnicity (a) can be used to promote inter-class solidarity within the ethnic collectivity, leading to ethnic cohesion; (b) can be used to demarcate class differences between collectivities, rationalizing privilege and exploitation; and (c) can be consciously rejected in favor of claims to national hegemony and/or class mobilization, for example. The significance of ethnic origin in organizing social interaction coincides with its utilization in pursuit of class interests.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.74565
Date January 1990
CreatorsNock, Laurie
PublisherMcGill University
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Formatapplication/pdf
CoverageDoctor of Philosophy (Department of Anthropology.)
RightsAll items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
Relationalephsysno: 001167020, proquestno: AAINN66480, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest.

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