The viability of South American regional integration: Bolivian national identity in the integration process.

摘要

Scope and method of study. Through the regional associations of the Southern Common Market, the Andean Community, the Union of South American Nations, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, and the proposed Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Latin American regional integration is slowly becoming a fact of life. For Bolivia, this increased regional integration comes at a time of great political and social change within the Andean nation. Consequently, Bolivian allegiances to national identity are changing. The purpose of this study is to determine what level of identity (national, local, supra-national) Bolivians experience most and why. A secondary objective is to determine what elements of national sovereignty and identity, if any, Bolivians are willing to surrender in return for increased regional integration. Using a cultural and political ecology framework, the methods used to collect data in Bolivia were mostly qualitative, including surveys and personal interviews, and a content of analysis of photos of the Bolivian landscape.Findings and conclusions. The conclusion of this study is that the vast majority of those surveyed had little knowledge of any regional integration efforts currently at work in Latin America and, more specifically, in South America. Bolivians were willing to sacrifice some elements (passport control, currency) much more than others (such as national anthem, border control). However, the significance of these findings is that Bolivians are willing to make concessions and compromises in terms of national sovereignty and identity, which is the first step in any integration process.