Mobility controversies: The case of the Chacao Bridge, Chiloé archipelago southern Chile

Abstract

In recent decades, the mobility practices of the inhabitants of Chiloé have been influenced by the installation of various types of infrastructure, which has an impact on the socio-economic, cultural and political spheres, making island daily life a field in tension between the traditional and the modern. The discussion presented in this article is based on the controversy regarding the construction of a bridge connecting the continent with the Chiloé archipelago in the south of Chile, under the assumption that the infrastructure will grant more “mobility”, connectivity and better access to the world. In the last few decades, the mobility practices of Chiloé inhabitants have been influenced by the complex situation caused by the construction of the bridge. This influences different socioeconomic, cultural and political areas, creating tension between traditional and modern daily life. Methodologically, a press analysis was carried out, including the main events involving the construction of the bridge. For this reason, the category of controversies is used when thinking about mobility. Among the main results, the role of the bridge as a trigger for narratives that place mobility in the middle of modern life, the sense of hypermobility as an activity that must be followed by the majority of the population, the discursive divergence regarding the understanding of mobility among the diverse social actors that are involved in the problem, and the importance of controversies in the understanding of social conflicts in the cities.

Keywords:
Controversies; Mobility infrastructure; Connectivity; Archipelago; Social actor