Reconstrucción del imaginario urbano de Barranquilla (Colombia): de la ciudad mediada a la ciudad soñada.

Abstract

This research reconstructs the urban imaginary in Barranquilla (Colombia) through interviews and observations to establish uses, stories, metaphors, and symbols created by its inhabitants. The results revealed deep deficiencies in the relationships between the inhabitant of Barranquilla and his city. Among the reasons for the troubled relationships between the urban citizen of a developing country and his city are deterioration and the fear caused by the insecurity in the cities. However, different researchs have shown that the latter is not only associated to real levels of insecurity but television has made significant contributions to urban fears. We conducted interviews to establish symbolic fears and the incidence of television on them. The reconstruction of the imaginary shows that this precarious relationship is an obstacle to build citizenship. The categories analyzed to be, to feel, to cross and to deny the city helped us to identify a very poor relationship between the inhabitant and the city and the need of educational programmes to change the perceptions of people. Television should play a fundamental role in this process and it is recommended that journalists should review their knowledge about urban affairs to build a mediated city that leads to the dreamed city.