The entrepreneurial role of Latin Americans in the social (re)construction of the «immigrant» category in Spain

Abstract

This work analyzes part of the results of an investigation, carried out by the author, in the landmark of the postdoctoral research, on the commercial activities of the Latin American migrants in the cities of Barcelona and Madrid. Through the «common places» that form the commercial and urban experiences of the Latin Americans in both cities, the article seeks to reflect on diverse aspects related with the recent increase in these businesses in Spain. Three elements: labour force, being a «permanent temporary» and migrants as a social problem are analyzed and contrasted with other works that reflect on the entrepreneurial role of immigrants in the reconstruction of these the three variables and constraints that generally are imposed to the immigrants in Spain.