Among the various migratory flows that have Argentina as a destination, this study focuses on migrations originating in bordering countries, particularly those that have seen increased outflows during the past two decades. Such is the case of Bolivian families, who belong to a migratory flow that heads toward the larger cities of Argentina mainly in order to join forms of agriculture practiced on urban peripheries, especially in the horticultural sector. Bolivian families are in high demand as a result of their prestige as a qualified labor force and because of prevailing modes of hiring. In such a context, a significant proportion of migrant families may experience upward social mobility despite a persistent context of national economic crisis. They therefore become more visible than other immigrants, which triggers different types of prejudice in the native population. This paper shows that different types of prejudice against Bolivian migrants may coexist depending on which social actor is involved. In some cases, positive prejudice may place these immigrants in a situation of being favored as workers, with privileged status as compared with the native population. In others, because they are particularly vulnerable as a result of the relative visibility of their possessions (mainly property, land, and productive means), they may be targeted by criminals who, in a context of negative racial prejudice, will inflict on them various forms of violence.
Abstract
English
Author
Roberto
Benencia
Cite
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