De la xenofobia a la solidaridad: etnografías fronterizas de la caravana migrante

Abstract

Since the outbreak in Mexico of the so-called migrant caravans in late 2018 and early 2019, there were signs of solidarity and rejection of this massive movement of population from Central America. This article seeks to account for these situations arising in the northern and southern border of Mexico, using ethnography as a tool for the analysis of social practices and their meanings. For this purpose, we offer an approach to the speeches generated by the local population and press around the massive flow of undocumented people from Central America, and during their time in Mexico. These speeches reflect the complexities of caravan transit, as well as expressions of xenophobia, racism, and solidarity towards migrants by the local population. In this way, the article gives an account of how diverse, and sometimes divergent, imaginary elements around migrants are in border areas.