Tamagringo: Citizenship and Community Change in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
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Date
2008-06
Authors
Pera, Jennifer Lee, 1977-
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This thesis explores a relatively new migration pattern of North Americans to Costa Rica
and the ways in which these migrants are changing landscapes of belonging and
membership in the communities in which they settle. The number of affluent,
transnational "amenity migrants" has been growing worldwide in the past decade, yet
little is known about their impacts in receiving communities. Through semi-structured
interviews with both Costa Ricans and North Americans in Tamarindo, Costa Rica,
textual analysis of newspaper publications, and participant observation, I argue that North
American amenity migrants are reworking the parameters of citizenship and democracy
in Costa Rica. Even though they are not legally entitled to participate in the political
process, foreign amenity migrants' economic power radically transforms social and
cultural landscapes in Tamarindo. In addition, these affluent amenity migrants influence political decision-making processes in ways that often marginalize local Costa Ricans
economically, politically, and culturally.
Description
xii, 139 p. : ill., maps. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries under the call numbers: KNIGHT JV7413 .P47 2008