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Reviewing the documents of the II General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate (1968), a lack of specifically missiological reflection emerges. However, Medellin offers essential elements for a proper Latin American missionary debate. The objectives of this paper are: to recall the contributions of the Melgar Document in preparation to Medellin, to remember Bishop Samuel Ruiz' conference "Evangelization in Latin America" and to share some considerations about the major lines that characterize the Final Document. From this study it is possible to glimpse emerging problems, missionary perspectives, some gaps and, in particular, the fundamental axes upon which it may be possible to set up a Theology of Mission from Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the analysis of the meaning of psychoactive drug consumption among indigenous students from the university located in Medellín, Colombia, 2012. This study used grounded theory, rooted in symbolic interactionism as analysis techniques. Six semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted, and 2 focal groups. As a result, the authors characterized the difference in meaning that consuming traditional plants and psychoactive substances has for indigenous communities and for the western community. Likewise, they identified the role of context, peer interaction, and cultural identity. It is concluded that the students’ concepts of traditional indigenous plants and psychoactive substances demonstrate that a transformation is taking place which westernizes the traditional meanings and practices. This is a consequence of the knowledge and experiences acquired in the city, an interaction with Occidentalism that can be detrimental, given their weak cultural identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medellin is one of the main destinations for Colombian IDPs. People expelled from all over the country, seek the big city to remain anonymous as a way to ensure security and find job opportunities. But displaced people not only arrive to Medellin. This city also produces the highest number of forced exiles in Colombia and an important number of these people remain within its boundary. Intra urban displaced people share problems with those internal exiles that travel longer distances in the search of haven. Both were violently expelled from their homes, had lost belongings and social ties. Also, despite the complex Colombian IDP policy, both face lack of protection. But, additionally, those who remain in their home city usually face recognition problems. Authorities deny the IDP status, owing to the short distance between their former and their current home. As a consequence, they cannot access relief and protection programs. This paper analyzes intra urban displacement in Medellin and the response given by national and local authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of considering the relationship established between Youth and Communication springs from the research "Musical Youth Mediations" which explores youth cultural production via the appropriation of alternative media. In this paper, we acknowledge the communicative developments present in web portals and recording studios which have been appropriated by the young and their culture, particularly the hip hop movement in Medellín. We consider this movement is a space that allows for identity ascription and a feeling of belonging, facts which in turn are strengthened by the development of their own languages, and that they help the young in exercising their skills to become active agents in reshaping their lives and their immediate surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, significant changes in the forms of Government have occurred in Colombia, as a consequence of many different institution related factors, inter alia the availability of new tools for civil society's participation, decentralization and political parties' reform. These factors have redefined activities and relationships of local Government's actors, among themselves, the councilpersons. From the governance standpoint, this paper aims to lead to a better understanding of councilpersons and their relationships with other stakeholders that are also people's representatives: public and private organizations. Availability of empirical data on this subject is very limited in this country, and the city of Medellin is a case in point. Based on the identified trends (cooperation, mediation, competition and lack of relationship), the article highlights the prevalence of cooperative relations and concludes that the principles of "positive" governance (plurality, interdependence and cooperation in management), are tempered by several factors, including political and institutional changes and the characteristics, motivations and strategies of the actors involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the simple and complex deficit and democratic model approaches, this paper analyses the communication strategies applied in several museums and interactive centers --Parque Explora, Museo Interactivo Empresas Públicas de Medellín, Planetario Jesús Emilio Ramírez and Museo Universitario from the University of Antioquia in the city of Medellín-. We argue that communicating scientific and technological developments at a conjunctural moment -because of the pressure exerted by the demand side to bring knowledge within the reach of the man in the street- involves recognizing science and technology issues should not be conveyed in a language increasingly distanced from layman's understanding and should allow for citizens' critical thinking formation face to techno-scientific developments. By analysing the communication approaches mentioned above, we found significant obstacles to be overcome in the communication strategies applied by museum staff in order to come to an understanding of science and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to analyze the major changes in working conditions of human resources in health since Act 100 of 1993. This paper is divided in two parts: the first one refers to the working conditions of health professionals in Colombia based on secondary sources and the second shows the results of a survey of a sample of Medellin professionals. We found that after the implementation of the Act, working conditions have deteriorated, especially for those professionals not engaged directly by health agencies, it also has generated wage gaps between professionals from different fields and even within the same; and has increased the working-day hours and underemployment found it in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses how the institutional processes, the school management as well as the contexts in which the school and the students are circumscribed, could impact the performance in the high-school graduation-year test (ICFES). A survey was applied with the purpose of know the actions and interactions among educative process actors. Factor Analysis and Hierarchical econometric models were used with the purpose of construct indexes and measure the impact of the considered variables. We found that school level variables, including management, explain a high percentage of the performance variability, while those constructed variables associated to student's characteristics have a low impact. And parent human capital and the initial student conditions are much more important than the teacher human capital. Contrary to the expected, it's not clear what kind of use and if to increase infrastructure resources favors the achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper is a description and analysis of the process of activation of resilience carried on twenty families belonging to the therapeutic community Luis Amigó of Medellín, as a project of investigation-action during the year 1999. As a strategy, the eight principles of emotional interaction and cognitive mediation were followed, as proposed by the International Child Development Programs ICDP. The expected result at the end of the process, which could be ascertained at the final evaluation of the project, was the strengthening of bonds of healthy affection among its members, necessary for the generation of an ambience different from co-dependency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]