Transnacionalidade comercial, identidades e dinâmicas da migração boliviana em São Paulo

Abstract

This research investigates the socio-labor dynamics of Bolivian immigrants in São Paulo-SP, thinking about the transnational trade as a complementary category of study to family and business transnationality. The implications for Bolivian immigrants in São Paulo, who build and maintain their identities in social, economic and cultural contexts, are analyzed from a multi-scalar and multi-dimensional perspective. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and explanatory approach. The methodology included an in-depth literature review, field research with in-depth interviews and participant observation carried out in São Paulo, border cities, such as Puerto Quijarro and Corumbá and originating in Bolivia, for example La Paz and Cochabamba, as well as bibliometric analysis to identify gaps in scientific production on the subject. The empirical research focused on the transformation of Bolivian immigrants from precarious workers (analogous to slaves) to traders, evidenced in spaces such as Rua Coimbra, which has become an emblematic point of Bolivian culture and presence in the city. The results show how the flow of goods and merchandise, loaded with cultural and social significance, represents and strengthens the bonds and identity of these immigrants with their country of origin, overcoming logistical and operational challenges through networks of trust and cooperation. The work emphasizes the relevance of the “transmigrant” profile and the multifaceted approach of the “transmigrant”.