Reflexiones is a multidisciplinary Journal of the Faculty of Social Sciences edited by the University of Costa Rica, with a semiannual periodicity (january-june and july-december), and strives for academic reflection on the world social reality, in particular, the one of Latin America. It constitutes a space for knowledge production that contributes in the Social Sciences field. The articles it publishes are theoretically and methodologically grounded and are the product of research and academic work. The target audience includes teachers, researchers and student community on a national and international level. Reflexiones Journal areas of interest: Areas of interest Subtopics Social inequalities - Disabilities - Violence - Economic inequality and poverty - Economic power groups and elites - Racism - Xenophobia - Social exclusion Society and Environment - Land use and urban planning - Cities and urbanization processes - Rural spaces and rurality - Socio-environmental and territorial conflicts - Risk and disasters - Tourism - Nature conservation - Global warming and climate change - Natural commons and extractivism Power and political processes - Public policy and the state - Civil society - Political economy - Political regimes and systems - Electoral processes - Human Rights - Social control - Public space - Citizen security Social Communication - Political communication and public opinion - Organizational communication and public relations - Digital communication and society - Communicative citizenship, media and democracy - Narratives and communication - Communication for development Indigenous peoples - Indigenous peoples - Indigenous peoples - Ethnicity and power Social movements and political participation - Repertoires of political action - Social protest - Political art - Organizational processes Genders, feminisms and diversities - Feminist epistemologies - Sexual and gender identities - Gender-based discrimination - Sexism and gender gaps Migrations, human mobility and border populations - Migration policy - Trajectories and displacement - Forced displacement - Refuge and political asylum - Cross-border dynamics - Migration and internal displacement Social Science Methodology - Action research processes - Participatory methodologies - Reflections on methodology in social research Contemporary subjectivities - Construction of subjectivities - Culture and subjectivation processes - Identities - Affectivities - Corporealities Heritage - Heritage policies - Heritage management - Tangible heritage - Intangible heritage History, historiography and historical memory - Collective memories Science, Technology and Society Theory in Social Sciences URL de OAI-PMH: https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/reflexiones/oai About the publishing process and its publications, the Reflexiones Journal uses the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED License (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International)
Sistema Editorial y de Difusión de la Investigación (SIEDIN), Universidad de Costa Rica
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Drunkenness as a crime: Social control and criminalization of liquor in Costa Rica (1903-1925)
Introduction: This article examines the legislation that existed in the country during the early years of the twentieth century to criminalize drunkenness, as well as in the links between political and legal provisions with the registration of cases punished for drunkenness. The research is framed in the field of social history, particularly in the study of criminality. Objective: To analyze state policies and security regulations to determine their influence on the registration of cases of drunkenness and liquor law infractions in Costa Rica during 1903-1925. Method and technique: The methodological approach was of a mixed nature. First, the content of the current legal documentation on drunkenness was analyzed. Then, this information was contrasted with empirical data from the statistical yearbooks of INEC and the institutional reports of the Ministry of Government and Police to determine the effectiveness and application of the regulations on the regulation of drunkenness. Results: The data on cases punished for drunkenness showed a significant increase after the creation of the liquor law and, mainly, after the issuance of an updated version of this regulation during the year 1907. Conclusions: The registration of cases punished for drunkenness obeyed to the political interests of the authorities to demonstrate that the new regulations implemented were being efficient.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anderson Granados Trejos (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Criteria for students with disabilities regarding the curricular adjustment plan in undergraduate courses, University of Costa Rica
Introduction: This article addresses the results of a study in which undergraduate students with disabilities at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) were surveyed regarding their satisfaction with an accommodation plan that provides them with support, in the form of non-significant accommodations, in university courses. Objective: The objectives developed for this article are: a) to compare the agreed-upon adaptation plan with the needs expressed by the student population during the negotiation process with academic authorities, and b) to determine compliance with the agreed-upon and executed adaptation plan, from the students' perspective, once the course has concluded. Method and technique: A structured interview was conducted with a student population that agreed to and implemented an adaptation plan, for which a structured questionnaire was administered. Through a snowball sampling method, 14 students are selected and asked about their experience in 5 randomly chosen courses, for a total of 70 courses analyzed. Results: Students are highly satisfied with the agreed-upon adjustments and inclusive classroom treatment, although nearly half of the courses studied experienced failure to implement the agreements. [Continue reading in the article]
Copyright (c) 2025 Allan Abarca Rodríguez (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
The driving forces of climate change: a comparison of sociological approaches
Introduction: This article proposes to provide a map of the sociological approach to the climate crisis, focusing on the problem of causality. It attempts to clarify why the phenomenon of global warming has occurred and how a synthesis of sociological approaches can be developed to allow for a better understanding of it. Objective: It proposes to show the various forms of sociological approach to the causality of the environmental crisis, initially undifferentiated from the climate crisis, and proceeds to contrast the theories that seek to explain this causality. Method and Technique: Starting from a critical eclecticism, this article seeks to present a map of the sociological approach to the causes of global warming by identifying historical phases and contrasting theoretical approaches, as a triangulation, in light of criteria such as the critique of traditional theory, the reference to environmental and climate justice, and the framework within a methodological cosmopolitanism. Results: This paper presents an orderly description of the phases of this approach, and, as a result of comparing the approaches, identifies the theories that demonstrate the greatest and least consistency. Conclusion: The validity of the theoretical approaches is recognized for explaining the problem of causality with a conceptual density and logical consistency that aims to contribute to producing sociologically grounded research proposals on a central issue such as climate change.
Copyright (c) 2025 Luis Alfonso Chávarro (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Workplace Social Responsibility: The Case of five Costa Rican Companies
Introduction: This research presents preliminary findings on theoretical and conceptual aspects, as well as practical experiences related to the management of Labor Social Responsibility. This area of work is essential for attracting and retaining the best available human talent and for fostering productivity within a healthy and inspiring work environment. Results obtained will be of great value to teaching practice. Results will provide meaningful feedback on what is happening in companies regarding this subject, and how Public Relations Management could contribute to achieving these organizational goals. Objective: To characterize the practices implemented by five organizations in the sample to promote the well-being and development of their employees, as well as to ensure a healthy and appropriate organizational climate for the entire work team. Methodology: During this first phase of the research, a review of the most recent literature on the subject was carried out. This was complemented by semi-structured interviews with the individuals responsible for managing Social Responsibility within the organizations in the sample. [Continue reading in the article]
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Post-truth and misleading narratives: consequences for Costa Rican democracy (2022-2024)
Introduction: This essay explores the impact of post-truth and disinformation on Costa Rican democracy during the 2022-2024 period. It analyzes the false statements and misleading narratives of President Rodrigo Chaves and his team, focusing on how these distort public perception and affect democratic institutions. Objective: To analyze how disinformation emanating from the Executive Branch has influenced democratic stability and citizen participation, highlighting the different types of disinformation used. Method: A content analysis of the Costa Rican government's public statements, extracted from the national press, was carried out, organizing the falsehoods into categories according to their type (false content, misleading, false context, among others). Surveys and opinion studies were also consulted to contextualize the impact of these narratives. Results: The analysis reveals a deliberate pattern of disinformation used to influence public opinion. Despite the exposure of falsehoods, popular support for the president remained stable, reflecting the power of disinformation in solidifying political narratives. Conclusions: It is concluded that disinformation issued from high levels of government represents a significant challenge to Costa Rican democracy. Information literacy is crucial in combating this phenomenon, enabling citizens to make informed decisions and protect democratic integrity.
Opinion Articles (not obtained from an investigation process)
Indigenous local governments: housing, challenges and contradictions (Costa Rica, 2023)
Introduction: the Integral Indigenous Development Associations (ADII) serve as Local Governments for indigenous territories; this article exposes the particularities and complexities that arise from this role, as well as their involvement with the National Housing and Human Settlements Policy 2013-2030 regarding indigenous housing. Main objective: to analyze the Integral Indigenous Development Associations (ADII) and their link to the National Housing and Human Settlements Policy 2013-2030. Method and technique: a qualitative research approach was employed, combining semi-structured interviews conducted in 2023 with five experts in the field and six members of indigenous communities (primary sources), the use of institutional sources from the Comisión Nacional de Asuntos Indígenas (CONAI), and an extensive search of relevant literature (secondary sources). Results: numerous contradictions are evident between what the ADII are supposed to achieve and what they can accomplish, as not all have the necessary economic and/or technical resources for their assigned responsibilities. Most of the interviewees did not feel fully identified with the housing vouchers, leading them to make modifications to them. Conclusion: the Integral Indigenous Development Associations (ADII) face daily challenges, mostly stemming from contradictions arising from their state-imposed role as representatives of indigenous territories without prior consultation. This reveals the need to carefully consider the process of representation and consultation in the development of indigenous policies.
Reflective Articles from Research Studies
Life Experiences in the Informal Settlement of Martina Bustos in Liberia, Guanacaste (1940-2020)
Introduction: This article examines the life experiences of the inhabitants of the informal settlement of Martina Bustos in Liberia, Guanacaste. It explores their childhood, family background, and current circumstances in terms of education, employment, and economy, as well as their daily dynamics in a community with limited access to basic services. Objective: To highlight the communal and personal experiences of the inhabitants of the Martina Bustos informal settlement, considering social and structural conditions regarding basic rights from 1940 to 2020. Method and technique: Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with five men and seven women aged 26 to 83. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for content. Confidentiality and anonymity were ensured through signed agreements detailing the study’s objectives and participants' rights. Results: Residents of the Martina Bustos informal settlement face challenges stemming from impoverished backgrounds, reflected in limited education, economic instability, and restricted access to basic services. Community organizations play a crucial role in mitigating these inequalities.
PRIDENA: Its Contribution to Social Research on Childhoods and Adolescences in Costa Rica
Introduction: In a political, social and economic context that violates the rights of children and adolescents, it is necessary to define lines of research and action in this matter. The article analyzes the trajectory and contributions of the Interdisciplinary Projects of Studies and Social Action on the Rights of Children and Adolescents (PRIDENA-UCR) to research and social action aimed at children and adolescents, between the period 2004-2024. Objective: The objective is to reconstruct PRIDENA's contributions to research on children's and adolescents' rights and to define research lines that respond to the sociopolitical context. Method: An exploratory and descriptive qualitative methodology was employed, including literature review, document analysis, and in-depth interviews with key PRIDENA stakeholders. Additionally, technique triangulation was used to analyze the context and empirical findings. Results: Three main areas were identified: PRIDENA's historical trajectory, its role in research and social action, and strategic research lines. These include the evaluation of protection and autonomy paradigms, public policy analysis, children’s and adolescents' participation, and studies on violence and exclusion. [Continue reading in article]
Honduras: determinants of social exclusion during the neoliberal accumulation model
Introduction: The redefinition of the State as a consequence of the change in the accumulation model, modified its functions and allowed the deepening of social inequality in its extreme version: social exclusion. Objective: To analyze the determinants of social exclusion in Honduras within the context of the neoliberal accumulation model (2006–2013), thereby exploring the relationship between social citizenship, labor market integration, and access to fundamental rights. By adopting a relational and structural approach, this study seeks to capture the determinants of social exclusion in Honduras under the neoliberal accumulation model. Methodology: Using descriptive and multivariate statistics and drawing on data from the Permanent Household Surveys and Multiple Purpose Surveys (EPHPM) conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Honduras, a Social Exclusion Index was constructed. Additionally, three binary logistic regressions were estimated to identify the socioeconomic and sociodemographic characteristics of the excluded population. Results: The findings reveal the persistence of large segments of the population living in conditions of social exclusion, lacking access to social security, educational credentials, and experiencing low-quality integration into the labor market.
Technology and gender violence. A study in two schools in Costa Rica
Introduction: This article reflects how the rise of information and communication technologies have come to occupy a central role in social relationships amongst adolescents, as well as in the continuation of gender violence from online spaces to offline spaces in the context of romantic relationships. Objective: Study the manifestation of gender violence in adolescent romantic relationships and their relation with the use of information and communication technologies in two public schools in Costa Rica during 2022. Methodology: A descriptive quantitative strategy has been developed, which uses frequency analysis of the main variables under study. Results: The results coincide with other research in this area which indicates that social networks constitute one of the principal means of socialization amongst adolescents. On the other hand, the data shows that digital media is of great importance when it comes to establishing romantic relationships. Finally, the responses provided by the people surveyed make it possible to identify various situations of violence that occur, whether in romantic relationships between adolescents or in romantic relationships between an adolescent and an adult. Conclusions: These results, even if they cannot be generalized to all adolescents, coincide with the prevalence rates of gender violence across virtual media as shown by different research carried out in other contexts.
Mixed Movements, International Protection and Migration: Opportunities and Challenges from the Academy
Introduction: The article attempts to make a contribution to the current discussion on the importance and urgency of the University (and the Academy in a broad sense) assuming a proactive role in the analysis and approach of migratory phenomena (mixed movements) and international protection, and their various dimensions and complexities. It attempts to answer at least the following questions: Why is it important to address the issue of mixed movements from the Academy and its substantive areas such as social action? What would be the contribution in addressing the issue of migration and international protection from the University of Costa Rica as an actor in the generation of knowledge and social transformation? What would be its main opportunities and challenges? Objective: Analyze the importance of addressing human mobility phenomena from the substantive spheres of the University: teaching, research, and social action. Method: It is a qualitative research based on data on migrations and mixed movements. Results: Mixed movements must entail a series of complexities that must be addressed from an intra- and interdisciplinary academic perspective and demand an effective response from public policies from the State. [Continue reading in article]
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Manabí (Ecuador): Vulnerability and Actions for Safeguarding
Introduction: The research focuses on the preparation of an inventory of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Manabí, with the objective of documenting and preserving its tangible and intangible heritage. Main objective: Promote the development of authentic and sustainable tourist experiences through the preservation and documentation of the ICH of Manabí. Method and technique: Two main tools were used: first, the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (INPC) instructions for registration and inventory forms, and second, Georeferencing Systems (GIS) along with the SURVEY 123 application, which facilitated data collection using smart digital forms. Results: A database of ICH georeferencing and a proposal for actions for its safeguarding and sustainable tourism development, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Conclusion: This work serves as a guide to protect and promote the cultural expressions of Manabí, guaranteeing their appreciation for future generations and promoting economic development and interculturality. The connection between preservation and sustainable tourism is key to this objective.
Towards Equal Opportunities: The Municipality of Goicoechea and the National Disability Policy 2011-2030
Introduction: The Local Equal Opportunity Policy of the Municipality of Goicoechea responds to the institutional demand placed in the National Disability Policy (PONADIS) 2011-2030, to continue the work for the inclusion of people with disabilities in society and the elimination of barriers to their full participation. Objective: To describe the existing link between the approach to disabilities in the various population groups of the canton of Goicoechea, the actions of its municipality and the guidelines established in the PONADIS 2011-2030. Method and technique: Structured interviews were applied to a sample of seven strategic officials in terms of the PLEO of the Municipality of Goicoechea; in addition to content analysis and non-participant observation. The data were analyzed according to an exploratory qualitative approach, in order to know the form and nature of the social reality of people with disabilities in the canton. Results: a) Coherence and efficiency in the local management of resources, knowledge and approach to the needs of people with disabilities were identified, as well as, b) the congruence between the fundamental axes, goals and objectives of the PONADIS 2011-2030 with the municipal management of social services. Conclusion: The process demonstrated the efforts made in the actions linking the local approach to disabilities and PONADIS.
Vertical housing and sense of community: Almendares in Sagrada Familia
Introduction: This research was carried out between March and November of the year 2023 in the Almendares I condominium and the Sagrada Familia neighborhood, San José, Costa Rica. The argument of the research is that the institutional planification that Almendares I had negatively affects the sense of community between the Almendares I and Sagrada Familia’s inhabitants. Objective: Establish the planification of the condominium’s incidence exercised by the institutions on the sense of community of the Almendares I´s inhabitants towards the Sagrada Familia neighborhood. Method and technique: A qualitative methodology was used, with which semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out. Eight interviews were done with Almendares I’s population, eight with the Sagrada Familia neighborhood population, one focus group, and, additionally, a MIVAH civil servant was interviewed. Result: The perceptions that the neighborhood’s inhabitants have towards the condominium and the prejudices that the Almendares I’s inhabitants had towards the neighborhood affects the integration between both populations, which has avoided the generation of attachment towards the neighborhood. Conclusions: It was determined that the way in which the MIVAH planned the Almendares I condominium has had a negative impact on its inhabitants’ sense of community towards the Sagrada Familia neighborhood.
The provisional (1944-1946) pesetas of the Mint of Costa Rica
Introduction: Coins were scarce in Costa Rica from colonial times until the mid-twentieth century. The Mint of Costa Rica provisionally produced 25 cent coins (pesetas) that, according to the Decree of 1944, were made of brass (Cu + Zn + Sn), but appear with different colors suggesting other mixtures of metals. Objective: To describe the characteristics of the coins, their elemental composition and the circumstances leading to their minting. Methods: The diameters, weights, engravings, and main defects of 60 peseta coins were determined. The composition of four coins, of different colors, was also analyzed by means of a Scanning Electron Microscope with X-ray dispersion (SEM-EDX). Results: From the sample, 48 coins weighed less than what was (3.410 g) specified in the Decree, two agree with it and 10 were higher. The majority had a diameter of 23.5 mm. The SEM-EDX analysis detected the presence of copper (68 to 96 %), zinc (12 to 23 %), tin (0.61 to 2.0 %) and traces of lead. However, the percentages of metals varied. Dye fractures, double impressions, and dye clashes are frequent. [Continue reading in the article]
Overcoming gender barriers in the video game industry? the experiences of female gamers in Costa Rica
Introduction: Women make up less than 25% in technical and leadership roles in today’s videogame industry. This low representation is due to pervasive gender stereotypes in male-dominated spaces, and hinders diversity of ideas, fosters vicious cycles of oppressive conducts, and perpetuates narratives of inequality both in the fictional worlds of videogames and in the industry’s workplaces. Objective: To study the effects of the Women Game Jam on the participation, learning experience and opportunities for women in Costa Rica’s video game industry. Methods and Techniques: In August of 2024, 19 participants and 6 mentors of the three editions of Women Game Jam Costa Rica were surveyed about their perception of the video game industry and the event’s impact on bridging gender gaps in this industry. Results: Most participants agree that the industry is male-dominated. They also emphasize the importance of events like Women Game Jam in creating opportunities for networking, learning, and gaining experience in video game development without restrictions. Conclusions: The Costa Rican video game industry faces significant gender barriers that limit women's participation and leadership. As a result, the importance of safe spaces and the impact of WGJ are recognized as for their effects in helping to overcome these challenges.
Public action by MUCPAZ against gender violence: The case of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua
Introduction: Violence against women is a serious problem worldwide. However, government action in implementing programs to address gender-based violence has not been effective, considering the increase of this phenomenon in countries like Mexico. Objective: The objective of this article is to analyze how MUCPAZ contributes to strengthening women's public action to address gender-based violence problems in the Riveras del Bravo neighborhood of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Method and technique: The methodological design of this research was qualitative and exploratory. The strategy used was the case study and 15 semi-structured interviews were carried out, 8 with women members of Mucpaz and 7 with other key actors, which were analyzed with the help of the Atlas.Ti software. Results: MUCPAZ strengthens public action through training to prevent gender-based violence, understanding the levels of public administration action, and creating internal communication networks. Conclusions: There is a risk that Mucpaz will become a palliative remedy that only contains violence in the short to medium term as part of the traditional patriarchal way of creating policies.
Zapatista Self-Government Experiences: Outline of an Analytical Grid
Introduction: This article addresses zapatismo through its experiences of self-governance, as historical correlations between knowledge, power, and subjectivity (1994-2023). It encourages a critical exercise of thought that allows for the analysis of the processes of collective organization and zapatista struggle from a perspective of governmentality suggested by Foucault, intertwined with the ethnological references of Clastres, as well as the receptions of this by Viveiros de Castro, allowing us to think of power as technology, in a collective exercise of criticism. Objective: Framed in contemporary political philosophy, this article aims to outline an analytical framework that, from a strategic conception of power, allows for addressing the heterogeneous experiences and self-governance of the Zapatista National Liberation Army from a critical perspective of governmentality. Method: The method intertwines qualitative elements of analysis through a genealogical tracing of the effective history of the EZLN. From this, it is possible to identify the origins, the marks of history, and the multiple beginnings that configure the collective organization amidst continuous discontinuities. For this, historical archives and practical texts of the organization are retrieved, primarily using the official website and the written documents that reflect the reflections of the so-called Zapatista spokespeople as sources. [Continue reading in the article]
Ibero-American government communication in the face of the first local case of SARS-CoV-2
Introduction: In March 2020, the global spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 posed an unprecedented challenge to governments and public communication. Upon the detection of the first confirmed case within their territories, Ibero-American countries faced the urgent need to inform their citizens amidst a context of heightened uncertainty and concern. Objective: This article aims to analyse the official communication strategies employed by the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Spain, Mexico, and Panama when announcing their first confirmed case of COVID-19. The focus lies on the messages disseminated through press releases and social media platforms, as well as the public's responses to these communications. Method: A qualitative analysis was conducted on the press releases issued by the governments of the selected eight countries. Additionally, 16 official posts from Facebook and Twitter (8 from each platform) were examined, along with 567 citizen comments (360 on Facebook and 207 on Twitter), to identify communication patterns and public reactions. Results: The findings reveal a chaotic scenario in which governments faced considerable challenges in delivering clear and effective messages. While the communication strategies exhibited similarities across countries, sociopolitical and cultural contexts significantly influenced public perception. Citizen responses on social media reflected widespread dissatisfaction and unmet expectations, such as a lack of clarity and sensitivity in the messaging. This study underscores the need to strengthen governmental health communication by incorporating risk management, scientific dissemination, active listening, and contextually sensitive approaches. Enhancing these practices is crucial for addressing future public health emergencies effectively.
Copyright (c) 2025 Margoth Mena Young, Griselda Guillén Ojeda, Rodrigo Muñoz-González (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Community economies: approaches and community experiences
Introduction: The extractivism of common natural resources is part of a broader socio-political strategy that legitimizes the exploitation of nature as a means to promote the development of national and global markets. As a consequence, communities have been dispossessed and displaced—not only territorially but also economically and in terms of labor—leading to significant social impacts. Objectives: This project aims to highlight community-based economic initiatives as viable alternative models for subsistence and social organization. These experiences emerged or were reinvented during the COVID-19 pandemic within the framework of a Social Action program at the University of Costa Rica. Many of these initiatives have persisted and strengthened local resilience and solidarity. Methodology and Techniques: The project supporting these diverse experiences is grounded in Participatory Action Research and critical pedagogies, such as Popular Education. The findings presented are the result of this approach, which emphasizes collaborative, participatory, and dialogic processes that valorize historical memory and diverse knowledge systems. Results: Developing alternatives to the dominant economic system enables communities to pursue collective well-being, solidarity, and cultural identity. These community economies serve as a means to foster social cohesion and economic resilience from within. Conclusions: Community-based economies seek to redistribute resources and goods more equitably, improving local economic conditions through collective management of economic activities. Additionally, the role of Social Action is crucial in strengthening the link between the university and society, fostering social transformation and community empowerment.
Informal debt and gota a gota: a review of research background
Introduction: The act of lending predates capitalist societies; however, currently subjects excluded from capital markets choose to acquire financing from informal sources; among which reference is made to the figure of the gota a gota. Objetive: Discuss the production of knowledge associated with the study of informal debt and the gota a gota, mainly in Latin America. Method and technique: A review of 137 publications was carried out in different databases, academic repositories and the artificial intelligence tool Research Rabbit published between 1989 and 2024 was used. Results: Most of the research was published in journal articles (42.34%), in areas of Economic Sciences (56.20%). Broadly speaking, informal debt is a source of financing provided by a variety of subjects, which is accessed by people excluded from the regulated financial system with greater ease of access; while the gota a gota is associated with loans linked to illicit sources from drug trafficking and collection mechanisms considered usurious when it is not possible for the indebted people to pay off the debt. Conclusions: The lending subjects in the gota a gota have both economic and social power; economic by being able to modify the conditions of credit according to their interest and social by reproducing a collective fear of what can happen. While the states and the market have generated the conditions of exclusion so that this situation is perpetuated.
The Discourse Analysis of the Scientific-Medical Knowledge that Legitimates Medical Mutilations to Intersex People in Costa Rica
Introduction: the Costa Rican medical system has perpetrated violence towards intersex people by means of pathologization and mutilation. Thus, there must be a convincing questioning towards this system that justifies these types of violence. Objective: the purpose of this article is to analyze the medical discourse and non-discursive practices that legitimate and perpetuate the pathologization and mutilation of people who were born with sex variations. Methodology: this study has a qualitative and exploratory approach in which the Foucauldian discourse analysis was used and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. Results: sex variations are pathologized from the construction of a “healthy body” and towards which are compared within the medical discourse and non-discursive practices. This “healthy body” type is endosexual and positioned as base material that promotes the continuity of the gender binary from its patriarchal construction. Conclusions: the medical discourse and non-discursive practices keep legitimating mutilations towards people born with sex variations by using mostly and for this purpose non-medical reasoning and surreptitious coercive methods.
Copyright (c) 2025 Carlos Guillermo Calderón-Tenorio, Nathan Romano-Solís (Autor/a) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0