Community of Peace: Performing Geographies of Ecological Dignity in Colombia

The San José de Apartadó Peace Community in Colombia has resisted forced displacement and co-optation by guerrillas, army soldiers, and paramilitaries for two decades, achieving peace through autonomy and political solidarity. Christopher Courtheyn's ethnographic action research explores the community's understandings of peace and territorial practices against ongoing assassinations and forced displacement.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 20 May 2022
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press

Peace is a multifaceted concept that is often associated with military operations and state negotiations. However, it can also be achieved at the grassroots level, where communities come together to envision and create peace on their own terms. One such example is the San José de Apartadó Peace Community, located in the war-torn Urabá region of Colombia. This community is made up of small-scale farmers who have actively resisted forced displacement and co-optation by guerrillas, army soldiers, and paramilitaries for two decades.

Through ethnographic action research conducted over a twelve-year period, Christopher Courtheyn sheds light on the community's understanding of peace and territorial practices in the face of ongoing assassinations and forced displacement. The community's approach to peace is rooted in autonomy, reflecting an alternative to traditional modes of politics practiced through electoral representation and armed struggle. Courtheyn delves into the meaning of peace and territory, while also interrogating the role of race in Colombia's war and the relationship between memory and peace.

Amid the widespread violence of today's global crisis, the Community of Peace serves as an illustration of San José's rupture from the logics of colonialism and capitalism through the construction of political solidarity and communal peace. The community's resilience and determination in the face of adversity are a testament to the power of grassroots movements in achieving lasting peace.

In conclusion, achieving peace is not solely the responsibility of governments or international organizations. It can also be achieved at the grassroots level, where communities come together to envision and create a world free from violence and conflict. The San José de Apartadó Peace Community serves as an inspiring example of how grassroots initiatives can lead to lasting peace and social change.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780822947141