Transnationalizing development: The role of social capital in Oaxacan indigenous immigrant organizations in Southern California

This dissertation explores two case studies of Oaxacan indigenous immigrant organizations in Southern California as a way to illustrate the significance of transnational social capital in economic development. The rise of multiple Oaxacan organizations in Southern California and their willingness to raise money in the receiving country for their villages back home challenges policy makers and development institutions to take immigrant groups into the equation for economic development processes. The Chapulin Distributor Inc. and the Asociacion Oaxaquena de Negocios (AON) are examples of this important effort to transnationalize development. By understanding the importance of social capital we find that social networks, trust, and clear organizational rules are very important in making these two groups function harmoniously. These two case studies not only show the evolution of the creation of transnational social capital, but also show how transnational political factors that have not been considered by social capital approach affect these efforts in both Oaxaca and California. In the final analysis, however, Chapulin Distributor Inc. succeeds in helping to build a food processor plant in Oaxaca, costing about 1.5 million dollars. The AON, a relatively new organization, is still defining its own path to establish itself as an important actor in terms of transnational economic development in the Oaxacan sphere. Thus, the story of Oaxacan indigenous immigrant organizations presented here is a story of success, struggle, and challenges.