Chicana Transborder Vivencias and Autoherteorías: Reflections From the Field

Abstract

In this self-reflexive piece, the author shares vivencias (lived realities) of growing up transborderly between the United States and Mexico and invokes that history and experience in the crafting of theories from the field. Her narrative reveals three autoherteorías of transborder existence and research: new tribalism, convivencia (coexistence), and supervivencia (survivance). In the tradition of Anzaldúa’s work, the author finds new tribalism suggests a move beyond rigid identities to that of fluid and transborder vivencias and relationships that underscore the interconnection of people, ideas, and places. In the field, she also found that convivencia transcends the objective self—other divide and promotes transborder praxis. That is, research that is committed to the collection and production of knowledge for transformative purposes across physical and symbolic borders. Last, from a very personal space, the author rediscovers her own supervivencia and the significance of a research agenda based on people’s survivance, resiliency, and commitment to change.