Perceptions of (narco) violence in Monterrey, Mexico

Abstract

My main interest is to do a comprehensive analysis, not precisely of data and statistics, but of the way in which regios, Monterrey residents, live and perceive the current wave of violence. This is the perception of violence, crime and fear in Mexico’s so-called post-neoliberal era, focusing on Monterrey’s situation. How do people talk about the increasing perception of violence? Has this perception of violence changed the way in which they live? Are there different perceptions of violence across classes? What does this discourse tell us about how they live/assimilate/reproduce the violence and fear in greater society? How can we make sense of it? I argue that fear of crime and violence are playing a crucial role in disciplining citizens’ lives across classes and that their subjectivities and self-governing techniques, fostered by the neoliberal structure of government, have evolved in a very particular way.