Abstract

CONTRERAS, Rebeca; MOSER, Gabriel  and  SAVINA, Yannick. Insecurity and public conviviality, the case of two Mexican towns: Mexico and Querétaro. Psicologia [online]. 2007, vol.21, n.2, pp.59-77. ISSN 0874-2049.

This paper analyses the relation between the perception of insecurity and the ways of living together and public conviviality in wealthy and popular neighbourhoods of Mexico and of a small provincial town, Querétaro. Data have been collected by interviews at the participants' home. Mexico is seen as an insecure town in which it is difficult to live. Querétaro instead, is seen as quiet and convivial. Results show that urban structure and insecurity have only a weak influence on the way of life in popular neighbourhoods. The inhabitants of wealthy neighbourhoods of the two cities differentiate themselves in their way of living together. In Queretaro local participation is intense and inhabitants meet essentially in the street, in Mexico instead, neighbourhood life and local participation is low. In Mexico sociability is organized and people meet mostly in bars and other public places. The lack of public conviviality in upper class neighbourhoods of Mexico is as much due to the effect of the living conditions of a big metropolis than to problems of insecurity. Withdrawal, the relative indifference to others and the reluctance to implicate oneself in neighbourhood life are typical behaviours of city dwellers.

Keywords : Living together; public conviviality; feeling of insecurity; metropolis; provincial town; wealthy and popular neighbourhoods.

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