Migration, Empathy and Schooling

Abstract

The process of social change within the village parallels, and is often closely linked to, the processes of change outsidethe village. Rural-urban migration is occurring on a massive scale in Peru, as in many other Third World countries that are also experiencing rapid social, economic and political change. An important study by Skeldon (1977) on nine micro regions of Cuzco showed that the changing nature of the link between urban and rural areas causes and is caused by transformation in the social structure of the areas of origin and areas of destination. In my household survey, it became quite clear that there were important feedback influences from the city to those Chilca households which had sons or daughters employed in Lima, Cuzco or Arequipa. Not only did the link often affect the household’s income, but it also meant migrants relayed perceptions and news of the socio-economic life of the city, and fragments of their evolving view of urban culture.