Abstract

In this article, we aim to reflect on the attributes and functions that the early suburban areas of Latin American cities currently possess. These are former peripheral spaces spanning multiple generations, where the first industries, other productive activities, or health facilities were established, and/ or the outskirts of the old quarter area where the first residential subdivisions were developed. Through the process of metropolitanization, these areas have become integrated into the central city. This descriptive exercise aims to gather existing conceptualizations and knowledge in order to outline avenues for the analysis of ancient peripheries. It relies on a literature review that, while not exhaustive, covers about a hundred works published in national and international journals and books in the fields of critical geography, urban sociology, and urban planning over the course of decades.