Interethnical relations, identity construction processes and Mapuche ethnic and political strategies at the Los Lagos Department, Neuquén, Argentina

Abstract

This research aims at analizing the in-
dentity ethnic construction process within families
with Mapuche ancestors in Villa la Angostura (Los
Lagos Department) in the province of Neuquén
in relation to the policies carried out by the Na-
tional and Provincial States. For this, we propose
as a working hypothesis different national scenarios
from which during the 20th century, the “ethnic”
identity caused a prejudice to the situation of these
domestic groups in terms of their right to the land.
For this we analyze the role played by the state
institutions in charge of regulating this right. Later
we wonder about the social movilization process
which arose in 2003 focused on the economic con-
text which envolves the city. In that field we study
the different state policies with an aim to promoting
this kind of claim and we account for their inciden-
ce when visualizing the protest and revaluation of
the Mapuche identity.