Medellín Podcasts

Medellín gets little podcast coverage, usually no more than a passing reference within a wider conversation about Colombia or Latin America. None of these shows names the city in an episode title, so listeners looking for a sustained Medellín series—or even a clearly signposted standalone episode—will need to look elsewhere.

Politics, place and development

The most substantial route runs through regional analysis. New Books in Geography offers patient, scholarly interviewing in Teo Ballvé, "The Frontier Effect: State Formation and Violence in Colombia" (Cornell UP, 2020). The episode is framed around Colombia rather than Medellín, but its attention to state formation and violence makes it the strongest contextual option here.

For a practical development lens, Drumbeats - Canadian Indigenous Investment Podcast turns to cross-border lessons in De-Risking Infrastructure: Juan Dumas on Applying learnings from the Indigenous Peoples of Canada in Latin America. Expect a measured business interview, with Medellín appearing within a much larger Latin American discussion.

Crime and narcoculture

Crime shows provide another cluster of passing mentions. Triggered - The True Crime Podcast approaches The Forgotten Serial Killer: Luis Garavito through an emotional, profane two-host format. It is Colombian true crime with plenty of reaction, not a guide to the city.

Historias: The Spanish History Podcast supplies the clearest narcoculture connection in La narcocultura desde Colombia hasta Galicia. Again, the geography is broad. Medellín is part of the conversation rather than its organizing subject.

Where to start

Begin with Teo Ballvé, "The Frontier Effect: State Formation and Violence in Colombia" (Cornell UP, 2020) on New Books in Geography for the most analytical context. Choose La narcocultura desde Colombia hasta Galicia from Historias: The Spanish History Podcast for a Spanish-language route into Colombian narcoculture. Neither is dedicated to Medellín, but both are more useful starting points than the city’s incidental appearances in celebrity, comedy or sports conversations.

Featured shows below are part of the PlayNext catalog. Updated weekly.