The introduction discusses the widespread belief that the world has entered a time of singular uncertainty and insecurity. It situates Colombia within this transnational context by discussing how Bogotá has become a newly acclaimed global model and therefore a fitting site in which to analyze the politics of risk and security in contemporary cities. The introduction presents the methodological approach to the research and reviews Colombia’s turbulent modern history, which shapes how contemporary urban life is governed and lived. It then describes the variety of ways in which security has been pursued in Bogotá and discusses two theoretical paradigms used to understand contemporary urban transformations, showing why they are not sufficient for understanding the politics of security in Bogotá. The introduction closes with a discussion of the conceptual resources that ground the study, followed by a chapter-by-chapter overview of the book.