Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-8-2026
Abstract
The Mexico–United States border is politicized and perceived as an undesirable, violent place and simultaneously a desirable cultural location rich in tradition. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic nature of the Tijuana–California border by exploring the performance of culture in a geopolitical border place. So far, most border research has concentrated on negative portrayals of cities and the border rather than on the joyful and festive lived experiences. Grounded in a visual sociology methodology, data collection included photo-ethnography and fieldwork observations conducted between 2022 and 2024 during an annual summer carnival, Carnaval Sin Fronteras [Carnival Without Borders], in Tijuana. The findings indicate that the historical cultural relevance of Morelos, Mexico, remains present in contemporary carnival practices, such as the presence of place-centered clothing, dance, masks, and music. The ritualistic practice demonstrates that the historical political protests that were present in carnivals, is still relevant and persists in the decision to host a carnival in critical border place locations, such as a binational park, a plaza in front of a church, and a boardwalk heading to the border wall, which requires social and geopolitical border crossing to attend. This research is the first visual study covering Carnaval Sin Fronteras on the Tijuana border. Visual border studies provide an alternative perspective to further (re)imagine Mexico–United States relations and (re)think sociological studies.
Recommended Citation
Rios-Contreras, N., & Brown, C. (2026). Carnival in Tijuana: A Visual Study of the Brinco del Chinelo. Cultural Sociology. https://doi.org/10.1177/17499755261474594
Peer Reviewed
1
Copyright
The authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Included in
American Politics Commons, Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Latin American Studies Commons, Latina/o Studies Commons, Other International and Area Studies Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Sociology of Culture Commons
Comments
This article was originally published in Cultural Sociology in 2026. https://doi.org/10.1177/17499755261474594