Anchors of proximity and daily mobility. Portrait of three districts of the city of Santiago de Chile

Abstract

In the context of the current scenario of what has been referred to as the Í€œgeneralized mobilityÍ€ of society, this article addresses the importance of proximate territory Í€“home and neighborhoodÍ€“ as the foundations for dealing with the strategic tensions brought about by social mobility. Based on a qualitative research approach, carried out in three areas of the city of Santiago de Chile, the article concludes that despite the increase in mobility, the inhabitants of the city identify with and preserve the symbolic and affective ties and practices that take place at home, and the areas around the block and the neighborhood scales. In this way, in the case of the city of Santiago de Chile, the importance of construing daily mobility based on such attachments that are weaved into territorial proximity becomes increasingly clear.