“YOU Think Therefore I Am”: Constructing and (Re)presenting Identity In and Outside Ecuador

This Call for Papers seeks scholarly contributions for an edited volume focusing upon the Ecuadorian’s individual experience while abroad. In particular, the ways in which movement between different spaces has influenced and/or impacted the construction and subsequent representation of Ecuadorian identity.

Despite being one of the smallest countries in Latin America, Ecuador’s population is extremely diverse and multicultural. There are currently five major ethnic groups: Mestizo—constituting more than 70% of the population—White, Afro-Ecuadorian, Amerindian, and Montubio. Members of all ethnic groups have contributed to Ecuador’s strong tradition of movement in and outside the country. This movement was increased particularly during Ecuador’s economic crisis in the 1990s. This led to hundreds of thousands of Ecuadorians relocating abroad, both temporarily and permanently. While economic factors contributed significantly to this migration, the motivations behind this tradition of movement between national and international spaces varies. Little has been published on the topic of motivations for Ecuadorian migration and the authors seek to better understand both economic and non-economic factors. 

Ecuadorian migration has impacted the social and economic landscapes of many countries. In some cases, Ecuadorians have been welcomed in their new environments; yet in others, they are discriminated against and considered a threat both professionally and socially. To date, investigations have focused primarily upon the process of traveling: how many Ecuadorians live abroad; where they are located; how many return to Ecuador; etc. As a result, few studies have focused specifically upon the Ecuadorian’s individual experience. This edited volume thus seeks to contribute to previous scholarship on Ecuadorian immigration both in and outside Ecuador by exploring how this movement between spaces ultimately influences the construction and representation of the Ecuadorian.

Some possible points of discussion include, but are not limited to:

• How are Ecuadorian immigrants represented in and outside Ecuador?

• Are Ecuadorian immigrants assimilated or rejected within their new environments?

• How do Ecuadorian immigrants represent their culture, traditions, habits, and identity?

• What is the individual experience of the Ecuadorian displaced by the economic crisis?

• How has the movement between spaces influenced Ecuadorian identity both in and outside Ecuador?

We invite contributions in English from scholars working on this subject.

Kindly submit your abstracts (of no more than 300 words) to the editors Mr. Francesco Masala (fmasalamartinez@uky.edu) and Dr. Megan O’Neil (megan.oneil@uky.edu) no later than March 31, 2017.