Mobile Biographies of People with Disabilities in Rural Territories of Southern Chile: Towards a Typology of Their Mobilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the mobility patterns of individuals with disabilities in two rural communes in southern Chile: San Juan de la Costa and the Quinchao Islands. By employing an ethnographic approach that incorporates various research techniques, we have been able to identify how individuals navigate and access different activities and services of general interest within their respective territories. Furthermore, we compare their current mobility experiences with their pre-disability movements, taking into account their biographical perspectives. In addition, we have identified the most common destinations, modes of transportation utilized, and the reasons behind their travel. Based on our findings, we propose a typology that emphasizes the subjective aspects of mobility experiences among people with disabilities. It is important to highlight that this study represents an endeavor to contribute to the understanding of disabilities through the lens of mobility. Although disability is acknowledged as having a spatial dimension, the development of studies that explore the intersection of disability, mobility, and territory from a critical and experiential standpoint remains relatively limited in Latin America.