Análisis comunicativo: Construcción del imaginario de la plaza grande como espacio de poder

Abstract

As a historical space of great significance, the Plaza Grande was, in its early years, used as a bullring, a marketplace and a cathedral square. At present, its importance is centered on the history of its surroundings and buildings such as cafes, restaurants and buildings that belong to elites with great influence on the social imaginary. Another determining element is in State and religious power, since they have taken advantage of this place as a scenario to display their practices. The citizens, for their part, use this place to show their acceptance, indifference or claims with regards to these powers. That is how the Plaza Grande has been taken as a communicative scenario and a space for marches, protests, political uprisings, street art and religious preaching. This research evidenced the methodological approaches of structuralism and symbolic interactionism, which were factors and phenomena that made it possible to establish the social dynamics of the groups coexisting in that space. The history of the place has been taken as a starting point to determine key moments for its development and current operation as a Plaza. Thus it was possible to prove that, at present, the importance and transcendence of this place is in its inhabitants. Individuals reside this space from their own urban and dynamic imaginary, and have created an identity through the experience and relation with the space and objects of this plaza quiteña.