Symbolic memory and reterritorialization: A formative reflective circles formative model to strengthen migrants' cultural identity

Kitsutani E.; Garcías J.G.; Deroncele-Acosta A. · Multidisciplinary Science Journal (2026) · DOI: 10.31893/multiscience.2026734

Resumen

This study explores how cultural identity is sustained through symbolic memory within processes of reterritorialization, highlighting its formative value in migratory contexts. A qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted to examine migrants' subjective experiences, focusing on the meanings, emotions, and narratives through which cultural identity is constructed, preserved, and re-signified over time. This approach allowed for an in-depth understanding of how migrants interpret their lived experiences and reconstruct their sense of belonging in new sociocultural environments. The analysis was guided by two central analytical dimensions—symbolic memory and reterritorialization—which informed both the development of the interview protocol and the organization of data interpretation. The research involved Peruvian migrants who have lived abroad for more than twenty years, residing in Brazil, Japan, Chile, and the United States. Data were generated through in-depth interviews and analyzed interpretatively to identify shared meanings and formative processes emerging from long-term migratory experiences. Findings indicate that symbolic memory functions as an identity anchor that preserves collective meanings, family ties, and cultural traditions through everyday practices such as food, music, language, and community celebrations. Reterritorialization is expressed through social and cultural practices that transform host environments into spaces of intercultural learning, dialogue, and shared belonging. Together, these processes shape a dynamic and plural cultural identity in which migrants emerge as formative agents who transmit, reinterpret, and share their cultural heritage across generations and contexts. The study concludes that symbolic memory and reterritorialization constitute formative processes that foster coexistence, mutual recognition, and intercultural understanding. Based on these findings, a Reflective Circles Formative Model to Strengthen Migrants' Cultural Identity is proposed as a pedagogical pathway aimed at promoting meaningful learning experiences, strengthening cultural identity, and fostering global citizenship. Copyright (c) 2026 The Authors, This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Instituciones: Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola