And yet it moves: Linguistic and identity mobilities and territorialities of Quechua and its speakers (Phase 3)

This research project, framed within an anthropological approach, addresses the need to re-evaluate the traditionally static relationship between the Kichwa language, indigenous identity, and rural territory. It acknowledges that contemporary dynamics have dismantled this view, as Kichwa speakers adopt diverse identities (Puruhá, Panzaleo, etc.) and move across the country, employing modern resources to express their identity, even without speaking the language. Census data indicates that a significant percentage of those identifying as indigenous no longer speak an ancestral language, suggesting language is no longer a strong marker of ethnicity. The research focuses on understanding how the processes of de-re-territorialization of Kichwa and its speakers function, and how these influence the language's vitality. The primary methodology is permanent ethnography, involving participant observation and in-depth interviews, applied to Kichwa populations in cities like Quito, Cayambe, and Guayaquil, as well as to discourses accessible online (music videos, social networks). Additionally, data from sociolinguistic surveys conducted in 2017 and 2019 among students of Intercultural Bilingual Education will be utilized.<br/><br/><b>Goal</b>: <br/>This project aims to investigate the mobility and territoriality of the Kichwa language and its speakers to understand the contemporary social, cultural, and linguistic dynamics faced by indigenous peoples. The ultimate goal is to generate information that supports the implementation of new strategies for linguistic and cultural revitalization.<br/><br/><b>Research lines</b>: <br/>Heritage and culture