The Argentinean-Chilean frontier and social integration. San Carlos de Bariloche, 1966-1983

Abstract

This manuscript studies social (dis)integration and local development policies in the border region, in North Patagonia, focusing on San Carlos de Bariloche City, since 1966 to 1983. One hypotheses of this research is the link between the establishment of an economic dependency dynamic and xenophobia since 1930s. This will be related to the construction of the Chilean as antagonistic, an aspect that became deeper during the last Argentinean dictatorship of the twentieth century. The article will review this from symbolic construction put in different scales of analysis' dialog. In order to do so, we incorporate into a national/regional debate the local/neighborhood dimensions. From the territorial appropriation of a specific area of the city, it will show how the economic and symbolic construction affect the differentiated occupation in the place, where neighbors suddenly discover themselves as intruders, while claims that hold a program of self-development are lost.