The Arab-Chilean Diaspora: Their Economic Development and Influence in Chilean Politics
Since the early 1900s Chile has experienced an influx of Arabs due to social instability in the Middle East and economic objectives, causing Chile to be home to one of the largest locations of the Palestinian diaspora outside of their homeland. The ascendancy of Arab Palestinians in various areas is visible in almost every aspect of Chilean society: cultural, political, and economic, specifically in commerce and the textile industry in Santiago. This study asked: how have Arabs in Chile impacted the Chilean nation economically, socioculturally, and politically. Using critical textual analysis this research examined how Arabs in Chile have been able to influence Chilean society. Despite the fact that the Arab migrants who several years ago were misunderstood and racialized as "turcos" the internal Arab presence in Chile affects the nation as a whole and its foreign affairs with the Middle East. As a contribution to the developing field of Arab diaspora studies and Latin American ethnic studies this research paper draws attention to a small piece of the Chilean social fabric, the Arab-Chilean diaspora.
School:
DePaul University
Department:
Latin American Studies
Research Advisor:
Junaid Rana
Department of Research Advisor:
Asian American Studies
Year of Publication:
2008