Convergence of historical memories, construction of political spaces, and social mobilizations: Case studies from El Alto, Bolivia

The city of El Alto is one of the largest cities in Bolivia and one of the fastest growing cities in South America. This young city that until 1985 was a marginalized neighborhood of La Paz, is recognized as the epicenter of the October 2003 events that forced the resignation of president Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada and began a political process that resulted in the election of Evo Morales in 2005. Part of an explanation about how the residents of this city were able to articulate social mobilizations of such magnitude and impact is due the way the residents of this city deployed memories of organization in mining camps and indigenous communities. The way residents of this city deployed their memories is deeply infused in the processes of building this metropolis. In the process, residents have translated, adapted, and re-invented forms of organization. In this presentation, based on years of empirical work relying on life histories and participant observation, we will argue that the current forms of social and neighborhood organization in El Alto, represent translations, adaptations, and re-inventions of forms of organization in their places of origin. This, in turn, manifests a complex tapestry of memories, social practices, and everyday actions, to give shape to their particular forms of organization. Moreover, this complex tapestry provides a glimpse at the multiple layers of conflict and negotiation taking place in Bolivia as part of the political transformation process