Social representations of migration:Dissensions between the milpa and rural development

Some of the causes of international migration are analyzed in this paper, reviewing experiences in field work in the states of Chiapas and Oaxaca in 2010, as well as in Tlaxcala and Puebla from 2012 to 2014. The problems and failures of development in the rural environment are addressed first, followed by the theoretical aspect of the social representations of migration, since that enables us through sociological analysis to delve into the perceptions, evaluations and attitudes as to why migration is an option for the subjects being studied: the peasants, these being the primary protagonists in the phenomenon of migration, though not exclusively. The paper concludes with the need to enhance strategies for rural developmental taking into account the peasants’ productive interests and their attachment to their birthplaces. In other words, the peasants should be in charge of their own destiny.