Seeking Buen Vivir: Re-imagining Livelihoods in the Shifting Political Economic Landscape of Cangahua, Ecuador

In 2008 the constitution of Ecuador was rewritten by its new president—Rafael Correa—to make buen vivir, or good living, the framework from which the government operated. The new constitution resulted in a national plan for good living/living well, El Plan Nacional de Buen Vivir, based on the Andean indigenous cosmovision of sumak kawsay, or living well. This plan is an ambitious attempt to improve quality of life in the nation by improving the accessibility and breadth of government-sponsored social programs dedicated to improving the livelihoods of Ecuador’s marginalized populations. At the same time, the structure and culture of historically marginalized communities in Ecuador are rapidly changing as their local economies increasingly engage with the global marketplace. My dissertation research examines how residents of Cangahua, a rural impoverished parish located an hour north of Quito, pursue lives of buen vivir while maintaining a resilient local culture despite limited prospects for economic prosperity and increased immersion in the global economy. I use a combination of interviews with parish residents and stakeholders, a household survey of 126 heads of household, and participant observation to examine how buen vivir programs and ideology promote wellbeing in the everyday lives of Cangahua residents. Despite challenges to living well, Cangahua residents have developed and maintained several avenues of collective resilience to create wellbeing and protect themselves from the uncertainties of the shifting environment. This research contributes to buen vivir literature by investigating the on-the-ground effects of buen vivir policyDoctor of Philosoph