La dimensión étnica de la identidad : la diáspora comercial de Otavalo

Abstract

The research provides empirical evidence which confirms the emergence of new migratory contexts which transform the ethnic dimension of identity of the indigenous migrants from Otavalo (Ecuador). In the past their involvement in commerce of handicrafts from their country of origin converted them into a widely cited example of transnational entrepreneurs. This study, conducted in the south of Spain, indicates the need to incorporate a temporal perspective into the analysis of the transformations of social links which extend beyond national borders. A processual approach serves to capture the plasticity of the identitary sphere relative to a series of demographic changes which affect the diaspora.