Resistance and identitary changes in male and female workers of the salmon industry in Quellón

Abstract

Since the 90´s the salmon industry takes off, placing Chile on the second place in world exports. The installation of this industry plants on the island of Chiloe has unleashed important processes of economic, social and cultural changes, one of which is the increasement of female working participation. The 2008 crisis occurs in the salmon industry because of the presence of ISA virus, which has meant unemployment and breakdown of small enterprises. In this article we study how in the town of Quellón the rise and crisis of the salmon industry has involved elements where tradition and modernity are expressed in the identities of workers that during 20 years have been the protagonists of deep changes at personal and collective levels.