Migración y desarrollo local en Loja: Una aproximación Etnográfica a los efectos económicos y socioculturales de la migración ecuatoriana.

Abstract

Abstract: This research analyzes the economic and sociocultural effects of return migration on local development in the canton of Loja. Using a qualitative methodology with an ethnographic approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with returned migrants from the United States and Europe, as well as their close social circle. The results show that return is a highly planned process, motivated primarily by physical exhaustion and the need for family reunification. In the economic sphere, returnees act as dynamic agents by investing their savings in new ventures and real estate, although their productive reintegration is heavily hindered by severe bureaucratic barriers and institutional inefficiency. Socioculturally, they experience a profound reverse culture shock regarding local dynamics, but at the same time, they introduce valuable social remittances through new work ethics and service standards. It is concluded that migrants actively restructure the Loja territory but require agile public policies to maximize their economic and social potential.