Violence and precarization of popular housing in Medellín, predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production

In both North and South, urban renewal and integration policies testify to the growing commodification of popular territories. The scientific literature emphasizes the processes of gentrification and population displacement associated with these dynamics, and questions the violent production of urba...

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Main Author: Keisha Corantin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Métropoles 2024-06-01
Series:Métropoles
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/metropoles/10550
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author Keisha Corantin
author_facet Keisha Corantin
author_sort Keisha Corantin
collection DOAJ
description In both North and South, urban renewal and integration policies testify to the growing commodification of popular territories. The scientific literature emphasizes the processes of gentrification and population displacement associated with these dynamics, and questions the violent production of urban space primarily through the actions of the state and private developers. Shedding light on a blind spot in this discussion, this article proposes to study the forms of violence and commodification operating in the informal circuits of urban production and carried out by other actors, by studying an emerging figure in urban production in Latin America: illegal armed groups. In light of the recent capture of the informal land market by criminal organizations in Medellín, the article analyzes how land rights are distributed, legitimized or contested at the local level. We argue that the control of armed groups translates into the violent implementation of land predation that redefines forms of land valorization, access to land, and dwelling in popular neighborhoods, thus establishing predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production.
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spelling doaj-art-36f05a2a97654a8da063c7a8e863974a2025-08-20T02:02:44ZengMétropolesMétropoles1957-77882024-06-013410.4000/11tynViolence and precarization of popular housing in Medellín, predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban productionKeisha CorantinIn both North and South, urban renewal and integration policies testify to the growing commodification of popular territories. The scientific literature emphasizes the processes of gentrification and population displacement associated with these dynamics, and questions the violent production of urban space primarily through the actions of the state and private developers. Shedding light on a blind spot in this discussion, this article proposes to study the forms of violence and commodification operating in the informal circuits of urban production and carried out by other actors, by studying an emerging figure in urban production in Latin America: illegal armed groups. In light of the recent capture of the informal land market by criminal organizations in Medellín, the article analyzes how land rights are distributed, legitimized or contested at the local level. We argue that the control of armed groups translates into the violent implementation of land predation that redefines forms of land valorization, access to land, and dwelling in popular neighborhoods, thus establishing predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production.https://journals.openedition.org/metropoles/10550Latin Americalandviolenceinformalityprecarious housing
spellingShingle Keisha Corantin
Violence and precarization of popular housing in Medellín, predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production
Métropoles
Latin America
land
violence
informality
precarious housing
title Violence and precarization of popular housing in Medellín, predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production
title_full Violence and precarization of popular housing in Medellín, predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production
title_fullStr Violence and precarization of popular housing in Medellín, predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production
title_full_unstemmed Violence and precarization of popular housing in Medellín, predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production
title_short Violence and precarization of popular housing in Medellín, predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production
title_sort violence and precarization of popular housing in medellin predatory accumulation as the matrix of urban production
topic Latin America
land
violence
informality
precarious housing
url https://journals.openedition.org/metropoles/10550
work_keys_str_mv AT keishacorantin violenceandprecarizationofpopularhousinginmedellinpredatoryaccumulationasthematrixofurbanproduction