Islander and islandness as development: effects on ideas about territorial autonomy of social mobilisation, the case of Chiloé, Chile

Abstract

Island studies have debated islandness as a cultural experience shaped by isolation, distinctiveness and lack of goods and services. In 2016, the people of Chiloé, an island in Southern Chile, mobilised against the Chilean state for a period of over three weeks. The conflict was triggered by an environmental crisis that affected the main economic activities of the island: salmon farming and artisanal fisheries. The present article argues through this case that islandness should also be understood as a political stance toward the state. Based on in-depth interviews and an exploration of the concept of islandness, the paper examines the mayo chilote, and contributes an empirical reflection on the transformation of islandness as a political position by analysing the tension between two narratives, each demanding different treatment for the island: demand for redistribution led by those directly affected by economic losses resulting from the crisis, and islandness as development, involving deeper and broader criticism of historical relations with Chile. Keywords: Chiloé, conflict, islandness, salmon farming, social mobilisation.