(Un)Paved Junctions: Navigating the Progression of a Road-Building Project in Santa Cruz la Laguna, Guatemala

Abstract

The construction of a paved road in Santa Cruz la Laguna, Guatemala has been widely discussed across the municipality in recent years. This article discusses how contending narratives coexisted yet changed as the construction of the road progressed. While the road-building project became the embodiment of political disaffection and societal problems during the construction phase as it transformed the landscape, the materiality of the completed road generated hope for prosperity linked to its economic advantages. The study of this road-landscape nexus ethnographically explores the transformation of an infrastructure project as it moves from embodying possibility to reality.