Abstract
This paper examines the growth of Laredo, from a dusty little border town to the largest port of the nation. The story of Laredo as a marketplace can be told by means of three interlinked threads: its transition from a trade route to a solvent community, its shifts back and forth between corridor and destination, and its local affluence and self-sufficiency morphing into a global constellation. The way Laredo evolved from a minor node of transaction to a full-fledged city and then became a major thoroughfare after NAFTA is interconnected with trends of globalization. Laredo started as a small but prosperous community where local merchants were the arbiters of their economic plans rather than being part of global forces. The identity of the city is tied to these transitions—how the local powerhouses dissolved into the amorphous international network and how after establishing itself as a vibrant community, becoming one of the ten major cities in the state, Laredo again became relegated to a trade corridor, funneling billions of dollars’ worth of merchandise through its well-developed transportation grid. The analysis of Laredo’s evolution highlights the local/global conflicts that continues to shape the policies and politics of this town.
Presenters
Mehnaaz MomenAssociate Professor, Social Sciences, Texas A&M International University, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Border City, Globalization, Trade Corridor
