The Social Ecology And Economic Development Of Ciudad Juarez

As the issue of immigration between Mexico and the United States becomes more critical, it is increasingly important that we understand the process of development in Mexico's northern border region. This collection of essays offers an empirical analysis of development in Ciudad Juárez, with an emphasis on the social and spatial contexts in which economic relations occur. The analyses are framed by a general discussion of urbanization, migration, and industrialization, considered in light of the history of Mexico's northern frontier. Contributors recount the city's pattern of urban growth in response to the natural environment and the changing national culture and examine current patterns of land use, especially as compared to similar development in other Latin American cities. Other issues considered are the impact on household activities of the structure of women's participation in the maquiladora work force; the city's use of its human resources, especially in off-shore assembly activities; and the foreign orientation of the Juárez economy.

Gay Young is assistant professor of sociology at The University of Texas at El Paso.

Introduction -- The Development of Ciudad Juárez: Urbanization, Migration, Industrialization -- Patterns of Urban Growth in Ciudad Juárez -- Land Use Structure and the Availability of Services in Ciudad Juárez -- Household Structure and Activity in Ciudad Juárez -- Economic Change and Ideological Lag in Households of Maquila Workers in Ciudad Juárez -- Human Resources and Economic Development in Ciudad Juárez -- The Foreign Orientation of the Ciudad Juárez Economy -- Appendix Juárez Household Survey