Conceptualising Postcolonial Displacement Beyond Aid and Protection

Challenging European Identity: Representations of Female Transnational Experiences in Marrón by Rocío Quillahuaman

“…'Forced migration' is one of the reconsidered terms that influences this research. David Turton (as cited in Canuday, 2020) claims that although the term is useful and should not be discarded, it robs transnational subjects of any "independent rational decision making; [assuming] that they are simply passive victims of circumstances" (p. 165). For instance, in the case of Marrón, Rocío expresses how her "madre quería alejarse de todo lo que representaba ese barrio por nosotras" (Quillahuaman, 2023, p. 28).…”

“…It is not necessarily an imposition, and it is clear how Rocío's mother and sisters actively pursue their objective, simultaneously considering that not every decision is their responsibility. Alternatively, Turton (as cited in Canuday, 2020) proposes the concept of 'displacement' since it encapsulates the hardships of the resettlement experience, but it does not reduce transnational subjects to powerless victims (p. 165). Whereas a hegemonic European identity defends a more static geographical location, a fluid transnational identity illustrates how transnational subjects continue to construct their identities within the process of displacement.…”

“…There are stereotypical ideas of Latinas/os being linked to "violence, precariousness, poverty, [and] drug trafficking" (Romero-Rodríguez et al, 2018, p. 103). These stereotypes are based on race and class, which are magnified by narratives and television shows that emphasize the rejection of those who come from Latin America, resulting in the dehumanizing effect mentioned above by Turton (as cited in Canuday, 2020). Rocío recalls how "[l]os inmigrantes latinos estábamos en todas partes … pero no había una representación proporcional en la televisión, ni en el cine ni en los libros" (Quillahuaman, 2023, p. 164).…”