Abstract

DAVILA LONDONO, Luis Felipe. Conflict and local governance: analysis for the Altavista zone, Medellín. Rev. Lasallista Investig. [online]. 2013, vol.10, n.1, pp.128-138. ISSN 1794-4449.

Introduction. The relationships between government and governed people are interpreted within a violent context. The changes in governance processes are also studied. Objective. To characterize and interpret the influence of armed conflicts (the multiple ways of violence that gather) on the democratic governance in the Altavista zone (Medellín, Colombia) which, like a political microcosm, can show the same violence logics that take place countrywide. Materials and methods. The focus is mixed, quantitative and qualitative. A study case is proposed, with the use of homicide figures between 2005 and 2010 as categories for the analysis describing their variations, tendencies and participation in the total homicide figures that Medellín has had. The results of the Quirama convention, which had the participation of the government and the social organizations from the zone, are also studied, describing the violence ways that take place in Altavista, with their causes and effects. A participant observation work was performed as well in the government councils and the other meetings celebrated by the community. Results. The variation in homicides between 2005 and 2010 is above 804%. Not only has the number of deceased increased, following the local logics of violence, but there is also another fact: the zone is becoming a troublesome focus because it has an exponential increase of its participation in the homicide figures of the whole city. Conclusion. The armed conflict generates a phenomenon known as mutant governance, beyond the order-disorder and governance-ungovernability dichotomies.

Keywords : governance; armed conflict; violence ways; Medellín.

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