Familial and Neighborhood Life in the Contemporary Formation of Anarchist Activism in México

Abstract

This article presents the findings of a qualitative study on contemporary anarchist activism in Mexico City, based on the analysis of three generational cohorts from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Drawing from seven life histories, it explores the trajectories of activists from a situated perspective that combines the life course approach with Durkheim’s notion of the “social fact.” The objective is to understand how family and neighborhood experiences influence the formation of anarchist praxis, understood as a political practice grounded in moral, affective, and contextual dimensions. The study identifies transformations in family models, observing a shift from traditional frameworks toward more horizontal, post-traditional forms. It also highlights the emergence of organic solidarities associated with prolonged co-residence in the parental home and the reorganization of domestic roles, which foster greater openness to individual life projects, including dissident political activism. Furthermore, it analyzes how neighborhood environments can either catalyze or hinder political engagement. The research demonstrates that anarchist activism cannot be explained solely by individual ideological decisions, but rather emerges from relational processes shaped by family ties, everyday morality, generational experiences, and historical junctures.