Gestión urbana y cambios en las estructuras de oportunidades territoriales

Based on a research carried out in Cordoba, Argentina, the author analyzes the way in which residential segregation becomes an element that strengthens social differentiation in urban areas. Likewise, the process of socio-territorial segmentation is related to certain types of governmental policies. According to the research, urban policies tend to take into account only the physical dimension of the city, issues such health care, education, culture and social promotion lack integrity and an appropriate territorial anchorage. In order to overcome these difficulties, the author proposes urban policies that should have three main characteristics: a participatory management approach, an integral approach, in which social issues are consider along with economic, environmental and cultural issues and an articulation of the municipal, provincial and federal levels in order to deal with the most important urban problems. Finally, the author considers the necessary institutional capacities that are required to make this type of urban policies possible.