Riveros Clavijo, Julián Andrés;
(2024)
Berraquera: Development at the Fringes of the State.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to examine berraquera, a slang word from Colombia which means to be strong, fight the odds, and thrive despite adversity, as a distinct form of development by addressing several key questions: What kind of development does berraquera represent? How does it align with and differ from the neoliberal model in Colombia? What forces shape Berraquera, and how do they operate? Who are the key actors involved, and how do they envision development? This thesis suggests that berraquera is as a conservative alternative to the current neoliberal model. Unlike more radical alternatives, such as Vivir Bien [Living Well] (Escobar 2018, 2020), or Buen Vivir [Good Living]. Berraquera does not aim to overturn the system, instead, it seeks to restore the moral foundations that the state has ostensibly lost at the core of the national development project. The origins of berraquera can be traced to the fringes of state control where people act independently of state structures. This context of marginality led to the emergence of a distinct form of development based on moral and religious principles. This research offers a significant contribution to postdevelopment studies, by bringing attention to the subjects often overlooked in existing scholarship. Berraquera provides a lens to explore the perspectives of what might be considered “conservative subalterns” and examines development from a different angle—one of less formal discourses and practices. The anthropological significance of this study lies in its engagement with a form of knowledge that is widely understood in everyday life but remains largely unacknowledged in academic discourse. By focusing on berraquera and other ancillary concepts such as rebusque [looking for opportunities], amaño [rigging], el buen y el mal camino [the good and the wrong ways], this thesis sheds light on the lived experiences of economically precarious and marginalised Colombians providing a more nuanced understanding of their struggles, resilience, and everyday realities. In doing so, the thesis challenges conventional frameworks and deepens our comprehension of development in contexts of marginality.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Berraquera: Development at the Fringes of the State |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2024. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| Keywords: | Colombian, immigration, Chile, Development, Digital Methods, Berraquera |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Dept of Anthropology |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10200898 |
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