The Social Geographies of Mexico: Five Contemporary Case Studies of Society and Space

Examining the links between society, space, and place, this unique text introduces students to the ecological and cultural richness of Mexico and the diversity, tenacity, and resilience of its people. David M. Walker presents compelling ethnographic case studies of Mexico City’s historic center and the adjacent Tepito neighborhood; life in the border city of Tijuana; and urban Mexican garbage networks. Cases also explore Afromexican identity in the Costa Chica of Guerrero and Oaxaca, as well as the Indigeneous Zoque people’s stewardship of the remote Chimalapas region. Readers are immersed in the stories of real individuals and their livelihood strategies; natural and built environments; values and faith practices; leisure activities; foodways; involvements in local to global cultural, political, and economic processes; and more. Instructive features include topical vignettes, discussion questions, and suggested readings and online resources related to each case.

David M. Walker, PhD, is Professor of Geography at the College of Southern Maryland. His international research centers on neoliberal urban governance, nongovernmental organizations, economic policies, and urban change in Oaxaca, Mexico City, and Tijuana. In the United States, Dr. Walker analyzes immigrant urban revitalization of first-tier suburban neighborhoods, contrasted with formal government revitalization planning practices. He is a lifelong traveler who has lived for long periods in Mexico and Spain.