dc.description.abstract | Citizen Culture is a concept that refers to the awareness and appreciation of the active participation of society in public and political issues, in order to build a more just,
equitable, and democratic society. It focuses on education for citizenship, respect for
the law, and for diversity, as well as valuing participation and dialogue for conflict
resolution. This dissertation analyzes Citizen Culture as a participatory strategy for building inclusive public policies in territories of socioeconomic vulnerability. The case study was Medellín, a Colombian city in the global south that in the last decade has been
awarded and internationally recognized for its social, economic, and technological
development. The objective is to understand what role Citizen Culture played in the
local development that triggered the development of this social innovation ecosystem.
To this end, a documentary analysis and qualitative research of semi-structured
interviews were conducted with public managers and academics who were responsible
for studies or the implementation of public policies focused on promoting Citizen
Culture in the city. Among the results obtained we can find the verification that Citizen
Culture has gained strength in Medellín because it has made possible for the different
actors of the city a channel for the articulation of projects that promote the creation of
public spaces, educational and cultural equipment, besides being successful in
stimulating critical thinking, making the population aware that this is a possible way to
pay off the historical social debt of the city towards its inhabitants in a situation of
socioeconomic vulnerability. The conclusion is that Citizen Culture is a political project
of government and society, a concept that values and promotes citizens' participation
and engagement in social, political, and cultural issues, encouraging creativity,
tolerance, respect for diversity, and social responsibility. | en |