Jane M. Rausch is professor in the Department of History at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

By looking at Colombia from Villavicencio, Rausch writes a history from the middle, one that looks up toward the somber highland capital of Bogotá and out toward the exuberant eastern plains. This is a history of civic urbanity and the rude countryside, of urban violence and the prosperous plains. The inhabitants of Villavicencio live continuously in times that are both peaceful and violent. Villavicencio turns out to be a microcosm of Colombia.

• Chapter 1: The Llanos Frontier and the Founding of VillavicencioChapter 2: Villavicencio during the Federation Era: 1863–1888Chapter 3: Villavicencio during the Era of Regeneration: 1886–1899Chapter 4: War and Dictatorship: 1899–1909Chapter 5: Capital of the National Intendancy of Meta: 1909–1930Chapter 6: Villavicencio during the Liberal Republic: 1930–1946Chapter 7: La Violencia and Its Impact on Villavicencio: 1947–1953Chapter 8: The Rojas Pinilla Dictatorship and the Pacification of the Llanos: 1953–1958Chapter 9: Villavicencio during the National Front: 1957–1974Chapter 10: Villavicencio, 1974 to the Present: The Search for Civic IdentityChapter 11: Villavicencio and the Llanos Frontier

Jane M. Rausch is professor in the Department of History at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

By looking at Colombia from Villavicencio, Rausch writes a history from the middle, one that looks up toward the somber highland capital of Bogotá and out toward the exuberant eastern plains. This is a history of civic urbanity and the rude countryside, of urban violence and the prosperous plains. The inhabitants of Villavicencio live continuously in times that are both peaceful and violent. Villavicencio turns out to be a microcosm of Colombia.

• Chapter 1: The Llanos Frontier and the Founding of VillavicencioChapter 2: Villavicencio during the Federation Era: 1863–1888Chapter 3: Villavicencio during the Era of Regeneration: 1886–1899Chapter 4: War and Dictatorship: 1899–1909Chapter 5: Capital of the National Intendancy of Meta: 1909–1930Chapter 6: Villavicencio during the Liberal Republic: 1930–1946Chapter 7: La Violencia and Its Impact on Villavicencio: 1947–1953Chapter 8: The Rojas Pinilla Dictatorship and the Pacification of the Llanos: 1953–1958Chapter 9: Villavicencio during the National Front: 1957–1974Chapter 10: Villavicencio, 1974 to the Present: The Search for Civic IdentityChapter 11: Villavicencio and the Llanos Frontier