Abstract

ARENAS FERNANDEZ, Luis Acatzin. Making a living in times of neoliberal multiculturalism. Cuad. antropol. soc. [online]. 2020, n.51, pp.229-244. ISSN 1850-275X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.34096/cas.i50.8271.

Around the pyramid of Cholula, Mexico is common to meet the "guardians of tradition" performing dance rituals of pre-Hispanic inspiration. With the intention of contributing to preserve these traditions, tourism usually provides economic "cooperations." Despite this relationship between dancers and tourists allows the circulation of cash and is in itself a way of “earning a living”, it is usually described only as a cultural activity. This paper argues that neoliberal and multicultural logics operate jointly, taking advantage of and reproducing differences and inequality. This paper aims to show how these logics have opened spaces in the market that allow simultaneously: - a form of earning a living that is not recognized as an economic activity, - ambiguous ways of giving value to life, - and the construction of optimistic expectations despite the uncertainty in which people live.

Keywords : Earning a living; Giving value to life; Multicultural proletariat; Ideology; Multiculturalism.

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