Representaciones sociales que tienen los comerciantes sobre exconvictos y su empleabilidad en la zona centro de Villavicencio

Abstract

This research work seeks to identify the social representations that merchants have about ex-convicts and their employability in the downtown area of Villavicencio. The research is of qualitative approach, with a descriptive scope, it is proposed from an interpretative paradigm in hermeneutic phenomenology epistemology, this seeks to recognize the subjective experience of individuals; it tries to unveil the world as experienced by the subject, through their stories of the world of life. The following research has several moments, the first one is to select the subject to investigate, in this case social representations, from this the problem question is created and the selection of categories and subcategories is made, which are defined in detail in a section of the work. After this, the selection of the sample is made, which consists of 15 traders to whom a semi-structured interview is conducted as a data collection technique for each participant, and, finally, the analysis of the information obtained manually and in writing is carried out, taking into account categories such as: cultural aspects, social reintegration and social representation. Classifying the subcategories as: prejudice, social stigma, personal development, social change, beliefs and myths. On the other hand, the results show different constructions of thought on a particular topic, which are the social representations of merchants in the downtown area of Villavicencio regarding ex-convicts and employability. From these constructions of these stories, considerations stand out such as that ex-convicts are individuals who can reoffend, that the prison process is a limiting factor and a background that cannot be overlooked at the time of hiring, and that people who go through this process are not classified as good people. Finally, this research would be a great contribution to give visibility to the social constructions that have been created in relation to the ex-convicted population regarding issues such as employability and social reintegration.