Between Struggle, Forgetfulness, and Placemaking: Meanings and Practices among Social Groups in a Metropolitan Urban Park

Ana Rosenbluth, Teresa Ropert (), Vicente Rivera, Matías Villalobos-Morgado, Yerko Molina and Ignacio C. Fernández
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Ana Rosenbluth: Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, 7941169 Santiago, Chile
Teresa Ropert: Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, 7941169 Santiago, Chile
Vicente Rivera: Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, 7941169 Santiago, Chile
Matías Villalobos-Morgado: Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, 7941169 Santiago, Chile
Yerko Molina: Escuela de Psicología, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, 7941169 Santiago, Chile
Ignacio C. Fernández: Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, 7941169 Santiago, Chile

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-26

Abstract: Urban spatial segregation in Santiago de Chile, a prevalent feature of Latin American cities, underscores socioeconomic disparities and shapes the city’s socio-spatial dynamics. This segregation, driven by land prices and private ownership, has pushed disadvantaged groups to the periphery and limited their access to desirable areas reserved for wealthier segments of society. Quebrada Macul Park, situated within this segregated urban landscape, serves as an emblematic case that challenges and expands the classical definition of urban segregation. It exemplifies the complex negotiations over space utilization among social groups, defined by socioeconomic, generational, and interest-based differences. This study employs micro-segregation studies in a broad sense, both as a conceptual framework and as a methodological tool to analyze these dynamics. Through qualitative methodologies, including six in-depth interviews with diverse stakeholders (social and ecological activists, longtime residents, and park employees) and five participant observations, the research investigates the varied uses and meanings attributed to the park. The findings reveal that the park’s evolution from a space frequented by low-income dwellers to a diverse metropolitan park has sparked debates over its public versus private character, mirroring the power struggles among distinct social factions. The park serves as a profound identity marker for its historical inhabitants, who initially fought for the right to use it and today experience nostalgia due to its widespread popularity. Meanwhile, the struggle to establish the park as a public space challenges the city’s segregation dynamics and might promote social cohesion within urban natural environments.

Keywords: public parks; meanings of place; place identity; micro-segregation; urban change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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