Martínez, LinaShort, John RennieZafra, Maria Isabel2019-10-142019-10-142019-08-16Martínez, Lina, Short, John Rennie, Zafra, Maria Isabel; A Fragile Hold on Consumption: Consumption and the New Middle Class in Colombia; CCSE; Review of European Studies 11,3 ; https://doi.org/10.5539/res.v11n3p73https://doi.org/10.5539/res.v11n3p73http://hdl.handle.net/11603/15861This paper explores consumption patterns, access to banking services, attitudes to government and aspirations of the growing and vulnerable middle class in the global South. Data comes from a population survey conducted in 2016 in Cali, Colombia. We compare middle income and lower income populations in order to establish differences and similarities. We aim to answer a basic question. What are the patterns of consumption for this new middle class and how does it compare with lower income groups? Generally speaking, we find that despite the marked differences in income levels the middle class and the poor population share similar goals and attitudes and inhabit the same urban realm.11 pagesen-USThis item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)aspirationsColombiaconsumptionglobal southmiddle classsocial mobilityText