Place, Catholicism and Violence: The Construction of Place in Caracas’ Barrios

This book explores the interwoven nature of place, Catholicism and violence in Caracas’ barrios. Using interdisciplinary perspectives to investigate themes of urban space, meaning as a psychosocial construct, criminal violence, and religiosity as culture, this book uncovers the underlying complexities of turning spaces into places through the built form, activities in the urban space and the meanings associated with it. Fundamental elements in the construction of place are used to understand the ways in which barrio residents conceive and construct the physicality of the private, public and religious spaces; how residents use the physical spaces of the barrios; and the psychosocial meanings residents associate with the spaces and activities. Using rich qualitative data and a case study design, the book relies on audio-visual data and interviews with organisers, residents and key participants in Petare, the largest barrio conglomeration in Caracas and Venezuela. Qualitative thematic analysis of participants’ experiences of Catholicism, violence and, ultimately, the construction of place exposes a unique argument: that meaningful urban spaces are embedded with emotions, memories, relationships, experiences and meanings, which turn them into places.

Dr. Gabriela Quintana Vigiola is a Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning and Urban Design at the University of Technology Sydney’s School of Built Environment, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building. She holds a PhD in Built Environment, aside from a Bachelor in Architecture, a Bachelor in Psychology (Major in Social Psychology) and a Master of Urban Design. Complementary to her academic role, she has been continuously involved as an industry consultant in urban design and urban planning. Her main practice and research focus on place, more specifically on current issues such as place-making, place-based policies and displacement affecting different populations in different contexts.