Reggaeton as a Latin American cultural expression: identity, resistance and soft power

Abstract

This article analyzes reggaeton as a Latin American cultural expression, understanding it as a social, artistic, and political phenomenon that articulates identity, resistance, and soft power within the context of contemporary globalization. Positioned within the field of International Relations, the study engages with debates on culture, symbolic power, and coloniality, seeking to understand how musical expressions originating in peripheral contexts can operate as instruments of international influence. Adopting a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach based on bibliographic review and cultural analysis, the article draws on the theoretical contributions of Néstor García Canclini, Stuart Hall, Ángel Quintero Rivera, Deborah Pacini Hernández, and George Yúdice to interpret reggaeton as a product of Latin American hybrid modernity. The research examines the historical origins of the genre, its aesthetic and thematic evolution, and its incorporation into the global music industry, highlighting the valorization of the Spanish language, regional accents, and subaltern narratives. The article also discusses the tensions between cultural resistance and commodification, showing how reggaeton, even within the mainstream, remains a site of symbolic dispute against modern colonial structures. It concludes that reggaeton represents a significant form of identity affirmation and cultural projection of Latin America in the international arena, contributing to broader discussions on culture and power in International Relations.