Resilience Is Not Free: the Undeserved Failure of the Urban Poor in Mexico

Abstract

Resilience is crucial to the survival of the urban poor in Mexico; however, their efforts are often not enough to pull them out of poverty. The present study explores urban poverty and utilises grounded theory to understand the role resilience plays in the social construction of urban poverty in Mexico. Observational research (23 accounts) and individual and group in-depth interviews were conducted with 36 heads of households and other key informants for a total of 115 participants, in 10 neighbourhoods in 3 different regions in Mexico. These neighbourhoods were classified as lower-income by Mexican authorities. Interviews focused on open-ended questions following the themes of income, education, health, nutrition, safety, environment, and resilience. Interview texts were analysed using interpretative thematic analysis and framed by a grounded theory approach. The urban poor in Mexico display the attitudes and behaviours of resilient people, who are unable to achieve social mobility. We found that their resilient actions, which may solve one problem, often create another and can be costly. This leads to individuals being stuck in poverty traps or cycles of poverty, which they cannot escape. The resilience of participants highlights their agency and their attempts to fight poverty; however, it also highlights the structural inequalities in Mexico and the stagnant social mobility, which characterises the country. As an approach based on strengths, ‘resilience’ can be used for understanding and helping the urban poor, while respecting their dignity and agency, but should not take centre stage in either endeavour.