Historia Crítica

Hist. Crit. | eISSN 1900-6152 | ISSN 0121-1617

The Social Nature of Floods and Landslides in Medellín (1930-1990)

No. 43 (2011-01-01)
  • Carlos A. Serna Quintana
https://doi.org/10.7440/histcrit43.2011.11

Abstract

This article qualitatively links the disasters associated with landslides and flooding in Medellin with characteristics of the process of urban growth, such as double marginality and the intensive transformation of nature. It identifies the social construction of risk, a process that defines the social nature of disasters, thus suggesting ways to question the supposed natural character of such disasters.

Keywords: Medellin, natural disaster, landslides, flooding urbanization, risk