Procesos de reintegración comunitaria en la migración de retorno otomí en el Valle del Mezquital, Hidalgo

Resumen

In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the 2008 economic crisis in the United States,irregular Mexican migration faced a tightening of the border, higher costs and risks, as well asthe constant violation of human rights. In this new context, return migration has become asubject of study that reflects a complex process, illustrated by diverse experiences, nuances,challenges, and contradictions, and involving individual, family, and community strategies.For Otomi migrants from the Mezquital Valley in Hidalgo, this meant the interruption of thecircular mobility dynamic that during the twentieth century linked the United States withtheir communities of origin, while also reshaping their forms of community participation. Forthe Otomi communities of the Mezquital Valley, this “new” international migration scenarioentailed the involuntary return of individuals who had been absent from their communitiesfor extended periods. However, these individuals were not necessarily disconnected interms of participation, obligations, and community responsibilities. This prompts thefollowing inquiry: How do returned migrants reintegrate into their communities of origin afterprolonged absences? The objective of this article is to analyze the community reintegrationprocesses of returned Otomi migrants in the Mezquital Valley through an ethnographic andbiographical approach based on open interviews that capture their experiences. This studyconstitutes a component of a systematic investigation in the region, thereby contributing tothe development of a typology of reintegration processes and community strategies aimed atreproducing and sustaining a sense of belonging in contemporary global contexts.