Feel the Grass Grow: Ecologies of Slow Peace in Colombia

The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia signed a revised peace accord in 2016, marking a political end to over a half-century of war. Feel the Grass Grow explores the less visible aspects of moving from war to peace, such as the decades of campesino struggle to defend life, land, and territory prior to the national accord and the campesino social leaders' engagement with the challenges of the state's post-accord reconstruction efforts. Angela Jill Lederach advances a theory of slow peace, which emphasizes grassroots practices of peace grounded in multigenerational struggles for territorial liberation. Lederach's book examines the various layers of meaning embedded within campesino theories of the times and directs analytic attention to the holistic understanding of peacebuilding found among campesino social leaders. The call to slow peace gives primacy to the everyday, where relationships are deepened, ancestral memories reclaimed, and ecologies regenerated.

Format: Hardback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 20 June 2023
Publisher: Stanford University Press

On November 24, 2016, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a revised peace accord, marking a significant political end to over half a century of war. However, the journey from war to peace extends beyond the formal agreement and encompasses the less visible aspects of the transition. "Feel the Grass Grow" delves into these overlooked dimensions, shedding light on the decades of campesino struggle to defend their lives, land, and territory before the national accord. It also explores the engagement of campesino social leaders with the challenges of the state's post-accord reconstruction efforts.

According to the campesino organizers, true peace is not merely signed but is built through grassroots practices and multigenerational struggles for territorial liberation. In her book, Angela Jill Lederach advances a theory of "slow peace," which challenges the notion that peace can be achieved quickly or easily. Instead, Lederach argues that slowing down allows for a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances of peacebuilding.

Through extensive ethnographic and participatory research, Lederach demonstrates how the campesino call to slowness re-centers grassroots practices of peace, rooted in the long-standing struggles for territorial liberation. She shows how the campesino perspective on time, known as "los tiempos," encompasses a holistic understanding of peacebuilding that emphasizes the embodied, affective, and embedded aspects of time.

The call to slow peace prioritizes the everyday, where relationships are deepened, ancestral memories reclaimed, and ecologies regenerated. It recognizes that peace is not just the absence of violence but the cultivation of a sense of belonging, harmony, and sustainability. By focusing on the grassroots level, "Feel the Grass Grow" offers a valuable insight into the processes of peacebuilding and the role of campesino social leaders in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future for Colombia.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781503634640