Victim-Centred Peacemaking: the Colombian Experience

Roddy Brett*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
225 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This article interrogates how survivors/victims participate in peacemaking and victim-centred Transitional Justice initiatives, focusing on the role of the victims' delegations during the Santos-FARC/EP peace talks in Colombia (2012-2016). The article presents unique empirical data, drawing on sixty-eight interviews with participants from the talks. The research assesses Colombia's victim-centred approach, arguing that the delegations shaped the content of the peace agreement, influenced historic narratives of victimhood and shaped victim-perpetrator relationships, facilitating victim agency and empowerment. However, wider political and economic prerogatives and dominant TJ tendencies constrained the broader exercise of agency, whilst participants experienced episodes of disempowerment and instrumentalisation.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)475-497
Number of pages23
JournalJournal of Intervention and Statebuilding
Volume16
Issue number4
Early online date8 Aug 2022
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 8 Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author would like to thank the participants of the victims' delegations and members of the organising body (United Nations, Universidad Nacional, Episcopal Conference of the Catholic Church) of the delegations for their unrelenting support. The author would also like to thank the article's reviewers for their excellent assistance, and the participants of the CRIME Workshop held at the Kroc Institute for International Peacebuilding for their very useful suggestions for this article.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Research Groups and Themes

  • SPAIS Global Insecurities Centre
  • Colombia
  • Conflict
  • Transitional Justice
  • Victims
  • Peacemaking
  • Violence
  • Peace

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