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Medellín, Colombia, used to be the most violent city on earth, but in recent years, allegedly thanks to its ´social urbanism´ approach to regeneration, it has experienced a sharp decline in violence. The author explores the politics behind this decline and the complex transformations in terms of urban development policies in Medellín.

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Introduction 1. The Politics Of Violence And Urbanism Violence And Power Violence And The City Policies To Deal With Urban Violence Conclusion 2. Medellín: The Most Violent City In The World Rapid Growth, Inequality, Gangs And Narco-Traffic Elites State, Militia, Paramilitaries, Cartels And Criminal Gangs Cocaine, The Cartels And ´Narco-Terrorism´ Criminal Gangs The Urban Marxist Militia Paramilitaries The State Social Violence Conclusion 3. The Miracle? Social Urbanism Medellín And The ´Model City´ The Medellín Miracle: The Policies Infrastructure Projects Iconic Architecture Public Spaces Participation And Economic Development Socio-Economic Development From Below Medellín: La Mas Educada Conclusion 4. Behind The Miracle Democratisation And Violence In Colombia Progress And Revanchism In Medellín Changes In Medellín Consejería Presidencial Para Medellín The Economic Crisis Conclusion 5. New Political Spaces Compromiso Ciudadano: A Reflexive Middle Class Universities And The Academy Ngos, Social Movements And Community Organisations Different Kinds Of Citizens: Participation And Critique Cultures Of Power Conclusion 6. Conclusion

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Kate Maclean is Lecturer in Social Geography at Birkbeck, University of London, UK, and works on the politics of development and livelihoods. She has published on microfinance, informal economies, urban violence and urban planning in Latin America, in journals such as Antipode, Gender Place and Culture and Development and Change.

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