Villa Clarín: between welfare, the culture of “dejao” and the challenge of community autonomy

Abstract

The sociological study of Villa Clarín reveals a complex web of structural and cultural tensions that have hindered the sustainable development of this community. Far from a linear narrative of progress, the case of Villa Clarín exposes the contradictions between external aid, collective action, local culture and externally driven development models. One of the main findings is that the formalization of organizational structures such as  the Junta de Acción Comunal (JAC) had a paradoxical effect: although it sought to institutionalize leadership and strengthen local governance, it ended up concentrating power in a single family, weakening the collective leadership that characterized the early stages of settlement. This situation undermined community ties and generated internal conflicts that still resonate in daily life
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