Abstract

RIHM BIANCHIA, Andrea  and  SHARIM KOVALSKYS, Dariela. Colombian migrants in Chile: Tensions and opportunities in the articulation of life stories. Univ. Psychol. [online]. 2017, vol.16, suppl.5, pp.206-220. ISSN 1657-9267.  https://doi.org/10.11144/javeriana.upsy16-5.mcto.

This article presents and discusses the results of a qualitative mixed-method study conducted in Chile aimed to explore the subjective experiences and meanings attributed by a group of adult Colombian immigrants to their migratory experience. Life stories and artworks were used to produce data. The study found that migratory trajectories are signified in plural ways. Immigration demanded a continuous process of sense-making by the participants, showing the contingent nature of identity, life style and cultural practices. Participants tended to signify positively their migration experiences, although felt a strong pressure to succeed and get ahead, relying mostly on their own personal resources. Therefore, the results showed that migration is experienced in an inherently individual way, reflecting the individualization present in culture.

Keywords : immigration; experiences; life stories; cultural transformations; Chile; Colombia.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )