Colonia formation and economic restructuring in El Paso, Texas.

Abstract

In recent years, both global economic restructuring and the economic, political, and social implications of the urban landscape have been at the forefront of geographical inquiry. This dissertation links these two levels of analysis in an examination of industrial restructuring and the colonia labor force in El Paso. El Paso's economic role has been dramatically restructured. Once a center for natural resource extraction, the city is now an assembly site for labor intensive manufacturing activities. Data from a survey of 173 colonia households provide information regarding the colonia labor force. The low cost of housing and the malleability of colonias household structure allows colonia residents to accept minimal incomes and endure high rates of unemployment. In the colonias, a labor force characterized by its relative powerlessness in the American economy is created. The formation of the colonias is consonant with the restructuring of El Paso's economy.