Territorialisation of drug dealing in marginalised neighbourhoods of the Costa Rican capital
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| Data di pubblicazione: | 2025 |
| Descrizione: | A of social actors can give life to different territories (Ballvé, 2012). It is a mistake to think that the territory is produced only by the polit- ical and legal processes of the state, or that the state is the only one capable of producing forms of hegemonic power (idem). In recent years, there has been increased interest in understanding territorialisation processes in which non-state organisations and actors play a leading role, especially when they com- pete for access and control of local resources (Rasmussen and Lund, 2018). At the local micro- scale, such as neighbourhoods, those can be illegal actors and groups involved in drug dealing and other criminal activities (Saborío, 2019a). This chapter demonstrates that drug- dealing groups in Rincón Grande de Pavas engage in limited territorialisation processes mainly focused on ensur- ing that their drug sales remain unaffected. The researched area consists of a group of neighbourhoods in San José, the capital of Costa Rica. Conflicts related to drug transactions are frequent in this area (Aguilar and Acuña, 2011), directly impacting the number of homicides. According to official sta- tistics, there were 147 intentional homicides in Pavas between 2010 and 2018, representing 22% of the total intentional homicides in the canton of San José (OIJ, 2019). Rincón Grande is part of the Pavas district, which has notable peculiari- ties. Pavas is one of the most densely populated districts in Costa Rica. It ranks low on the Social Development Index, with most of its social indicators being unfavourable (Municipality of San José, 2017). The district is charac- terised by significant inequality and segregation. The eastern part includes high- income areas like Rohrmoser, while the northwest, including Rincón Grande, is marked by high population density, overcrowded conditions, and deficiencies in infrastructure, green spaces, and recreational areas. According to the National Population and Housing Census by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC, 2011), there are 680 informal settlements, and many homes are in precarious conditions. Rincón Grande has another peculiarity: the presence of multiple illegal groups involved in drug dealing. In some cases, these groups compete for control of their territories, employing methods and capabilities similar to those of armed actors challenging state power in civil war contexts (Saborío, 2019b). One key insight from the literature on territoriality and civil wars is that the weaker the state, the greater the likelihood that non- state armed actors will succeed in their efforts to control territories (De la Calle and Sánchez, 2012). Thus, literature analysing these conflicts can provide valua- ble insights into understanding the territorialisation of drug dealing. However, the differences in scale, conflict intensity, and the objectives of those involved in drug dealing necessitate specific research to fully comprehend the nuances of this phenomenon. The main argument of this chapter is that it cannot be assumed that drug- dealing groups inherently establish forms of territorial control. To determine whether such forms of control exist, it is necessary to conduct studies that analyse the specific social contexts in which these groups operate. For instance, the case of Rincón Grande de Pavas clearly shows that drug dealers there are not able to carry out effective territorialisation processes. The chapter is organised as follows: The second section discusses the the- oretical framework, focusing on the utility of the concepts of territoriality and territorialisation for studying groups involved in retail drug sales. The third section outlines the methodology used in the research. The fourth and fifth sections present the research findings, demonstrating these groups’ ina- bility to assert control over the neighbourhoods of Rincón Grande de Pavas or impose rules of behaviour on its residents. The chapter ends with the final section, summarising the key conclusions. |
| Stato: | Kérwá |
| Istituzione: | Universidad de Costa Rica |
| Repositorio: | Kérwá |
| Lingua: | Inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:kerwa.ucr.ac.cr:10669/105268 |
| Accesso online: | https://hdl.handle.net/10669/105268 |
| Keyword: | Economics Finance Business & Industry Geography Global Development Urban Studies |