Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Planning for Mobility and Socio-Environmental Justice: The Case of Medellín, Colombia

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Environmental Justice and Urban Resilience in the Global South

Abstract

In 2004, Medellín, Colombia's second largest city, implemented the world’s first modern urban aerial cable-car public transport system. The impetus and subsequent history of this initiative are marked, on the one hand, by a commitment to social urbanism and spatial justice, and on the other hand, by neo-liberal elements related to making the city more nationally, regionally and globally more competitive. As a relatively cheap, clean and highly visible response to urban transport problems, it has attracted widespread attention from city authorities throughout Latin America, Europe and Asia. It was followed by major participatory neighbourhood upgrading process, comprising new social housing, schools and other social infrastructure, as well as support to micro-enterprises. The combination of these interventions has helped upgrade some parts of the city's fabric marked for years by severe poverty and violence. These interventions sought to address the huge spatial inequalities between these neighbourhoods and the rest of the formal city, but have they made Medellín a more resilient and environmentally just city? Through an examination of three principles of social justice—redistribution, reciprocal recognition and political participation—this chapter explores the relationship between resilience and environmental justice as a result of the institutional, socio-economic and political factors implicated in the planning process and impact of the aerial cable-car and related interventions under the rubrique of social urbanism in Medellín.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Allen, A. (2014) ‘Peri-Urbanization and the Political Ecology of Differential Sustainability’ in Susan Parnell and Sophie Oldfield (eds.) A Routledge Handbook on Cities of the Global South (London: Routledge), pp. 522–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, A. and Frediani, A. (2013) ‘Farmers, not Gardeners: The Making of Environmentally Just Spaces in Accra’, City 17: 365–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angulo, R. (2014) Desigualdad en las ciudades de Colombia: Cómo vamos? Razón Pública, http://www.razonpublica.com/index.php/econom-y-sociedad-temas-29/7564-desigualdad-en-las-ciudades-de-colombia-, accessed 20 June 2015.

  • Baeten, G. (2000) ‘The Tragedy of the Highway: Empowerment, Disempowerment and the Politics of Sustainability Discourses and Practices’, European Planning Studies 8(1): 69–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booth, C. and Richardson, T. (2001) ‘Placing the Public in Integrated Transport Planning, Transport Policy 8: 141−9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brand, P. and Dávila, J.D. (2011) ‘Mobility Innovation at the Urban Margins’, City 15(6): 647–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brand, P. and Dávila, J.D. (2013) ‘Metrocables and “Social Urbanism”: Two Complementary Strategies’ in Dávila (ed.) Urban Mobility and Poverty: Lessons from Medellín and Soacha, Colombia (London: DPU-UCL and Universidad Nacional de Colombia), pp. 46–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabannes, Y. (2004) ‘Participatory budgeting: A significant contribution to participatory democracy’, Environment and Urbanisation 16(1): 27–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calderón, C. (2012) ‘Integrated and Participatory Urban Upgrading in Medellín, Colombia’ in R. Lawrence, H. Yildiz and P. Kellett (eds.) Requalifying the Built Environment: Challenges and Responses (Gottingen: Hogrefe Publishing), pp. 179–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carvajal, Y. (2009) ‘Participación ciudadana y buen gobierno: El presupuesto participativo como aporte a la democratización de la ciudad de Medellín’, Foro 68: 105–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colombian Government (2015) Constitución Política de Colombia 1991 (Political Constitution of Colombia 1991), procuraduria.gov.co, accessed 20 June 2015.

  • Coupé, F. (2013) ‘The Metrocables: Risk, Poverty, and Inclusion’ in Dávila (ed.) Urban Mobility and Poverty: Lessons from Medellín and Soacha, Colombia (London: DPU-UCL and Universidad Nacional de Colombia), pp. 66–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coupé, F. and Cardona, J.G. (2013) ‘Impact of the Metrocables on the Local Economy’ in Dávila (ed.) Urban Mobility and Poverty: Lessons from Medellín and Soacha, Colombia (London: DPU-UCL and Universidad Nacional de Colombia): pp. 89–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coupé, F., Brand, P. and Dávila, J.D. (2013) ‘Medellín: Institutional Context and Urban Paradigm Change’ in Dávila (ed.) Urban Mobility and Poverty: Lessons from Medellín and Soacha, Colombia (London: DPU-UCL and Universidad Nacional de Colombia), pp. 55–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dávila, J.D. (2009) ‘Being a Mayor: The View from Four Colombian Cities’, Environment and Urbanization 21(1): 37–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dávila, J.D. (ed.) (2013) Urban Mobility and Poverty: Lessons from Medellín and Soacha, Colombia (London: DPU–UCL and Universidad Nacional de Colombia).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dávila, J.D. (2014) ‘Urban Fragmentation, “Good Governance” and the Competitive City’, in S. Parnell and S. Oldfield (eds.) A Routledge Handbook on Cities of the Global South (London: Routledge), pp. 474–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernste, H., Martens, K. and Schapendonk, J. (2012) ‘The Design, Experience and Justice of Mobility’, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie 103(5): 509–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Essebo, M. and Baeten, G. (2012) ‘Contradictions of “Sustainable Mobility”—the Illogic of Growth and the Logic of Myth’, Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie 103(5): 555–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraser N. (1996) ‘Social Justice in the Age of Identity Politics: Redistribution, Recognition, and Participation’, The Tanner Lectures on Human Values, Stanford University April 30–May 2, http://tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/documents/Fraser98.pdf], accessed 30 May 2013.

  • Fraser, N. (1998a) ‘From Redistribution to Recognition? Dilemmas of Justice in a “Post-socialist” Age’ in C. Willet (ed.) Theorising Multiculturalism: A Guide to the Current Debate (Malden and Oxford: Blackwell), pp. 19–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraser, N. (1998b) ‘A Rejoinder to Iris Young’ in C. Willet (ed.) Theorising Multiculturalism: A Guide to the Current Debate (Malden and Oxford: Blackwell), pp. 68–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hylton, F. (2007) ‘Medellin’s Makeover’, New Left Review 44: 71–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, P. and Lucas, K. (2012) ‘The Social Consequences of Transport Decision-Making: Clarifying Concepts, Synthesising Knowledge and Assessing Implications’, Journal of Transport Geography 21: 4–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leinbach, T.R. (2000) ‘Mobility in Development Context: Changing Perspectives, New Interpretations and the Real Issues’, Journal of Transport Geography 8(1): 1 − 9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, C. (2013a) ‘Travel Choice Reframed: “Deep Distribution” and Gender in Urban Transport’, Environment and Urbanization 25(1): 47–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, C. (2013b) ‘Transport, Diversity and the Socially Just City: The Significance of Gender Relations’ in J.D. Dávila (ed.) Urban Mobility and Poverty: Lessons from Medellín and Soacha, Colombia (London: DPU-UCL and Universidad Nacional de Colombia), pp. 23–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levy, C. (2015) ‘Routes to the Just City: Towards Gender Equality in Transport Planning’ in Moser C. (ed.) Gender, Asset Accumulation and Just Cities: Pathways to Just Cities (London: Routledge) (forthcoming).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, K. (2006) ‘Providing transport for social inclusion within a framework for environmental justice in the UK’‚ Transportation Research Part A (40): 801–809.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, K. (2012) ‘Transport and Social Exclusion: Where are We Now?’ Transport Policy 20: 105–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medellín and IDB (2008) Medellín: Transformación de una Ciudad (Medellín Municipality and Inter-American Development Bank, Medellín: Mayor’s Office).

    Google Scholar 

  • Parnell, S. and Pieterse, E. (2010) ‘The Right to the City: Institutional Imperatives of the Development State’, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 34(1): 146−62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelling, M. (2011) Adaptation to Climate Change: From Resilience to Transformation (London and New York: Routledge).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarmiento, I.O., Córdoba, J.M., Mejía, Á.G. and Laura Agudelo, L.V. (2013) ‘Metrocables and Travel Patterns in Medellín: Inclusion of Latent Variables in Transport Models’ in Julio D. Dávila (ed.) Urban Mobility and Poverty: Lessons from Medellín and Soacha, Colombia (London: DPU-UCL and Universidad Nacional de Colombia), pp. 81–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sotomayor, L. (2013) ‘Medellín’s Integral Urban Projects: What is the Potential for Encouraging Socio-Spatial Justice?’ Paper presented at the Joint AESOP–ACSP Conference, ‘Planning for Resilient Cities and Regions’, University College, Dublin, 15–19 July.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, J. and Vella-Brodrick, D. (2009) ‘The Usefulness of Social Exclusion to Inform Social Policy in Transport’, Transport Policy 16: 90−6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stienen, A. (2009) ‘Urban Technology, Conflict Education, and Disputed Space’, Journal of Urban Technology 16(2–3): 109–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UKDT (UK Government Department for Transport) (2014) Transport Resilience Review: a Review of the Resilience of the Transport Network to Extreme Weather Events (London: Department for Transport).

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasconcellos, E. (2001) Urban Transport: Environment and Equity: The Case for Developing Countries (London and Sterling: Earthscan).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall Street Journal (2013) ‘“City of the Year”, Advertisement Sponsored by Citi’, WSJ Magazine, http://online.wsj.com/ad/cityoftheyear, accessed 20 April 2013.

  • Young, I.M. (1990) Justice and the Politics of Difference (Princeton, New Jersey and Chichester, West Sussex: Princeton University Press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, I.M. (1998) ‘Unruly Categories: A Critique of Nancy Fraser’s Dual Systems Theory’ in C. Willet (ed.) Theorising Multiculturalism: A Guide to the Current Debate (Malden and Oxford: Blackwell), pp. 50–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zapata Córdoba, D., Stanley, J. and Stanley, J. (2014) ‘Reducing Social Exclusion in Highly Disadvantaged Districts in Medellín, Colombia, Through the Provision of a Cable-Car’, Social Inclusion 2(4): 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. DPU, UCL, London, UK

    Caren Levy & Julio D. Dávila

Authors
  1. Caren Levy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Julio D. Dávila
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU), University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom

    Adriana Allen

  2. The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU), University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom

    Liza Griffin

  3. The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU), University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom

    Cassidy Johnson

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Levy, C., Dávila, J.D. (2017). Planning for Mobility and Socio-Environmental Justice: The Case of Medellín, Colombia. In: Allen, A., Griffin, L., Johnson, C. (eds) Environmental Justice and Urban Resilience in the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-47354-7_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation