Resisting Racism and Marginalization: Migrant Women’s Agency in Urban Transformation in Los Pajaritos Neighbourhood

This study explores the agency of migrant women in Los Pajaritos, the neighbourhood with the highest level of socio-economic vulnerability in Spain. Through a multi-scalar approach and a qualitative methodology based on participant observation, focus groups, and life histories, the strategies of resistance and agency deployed by these women in the face of enduring dynamics of inequality and structural oppression are analyzed. The findings highlight their key role in generating social cohesion, creating networks of solidarity, reconstructing cultural identity, and transforming their communities. The study underlines the intersection between gender, migration, and territoriality, demonstrating how these women negotiate their right to the city. The results emphasize the urgency of inclusive public policies that promote equity in vulnerable environments.