A Case for Agonistic Peacebuilding in Colombia

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Case for Agonistic Peacebuilding in Colombia

AU - Martin, Diana González

AU - Hansen, Hans Lauge

AU - Parra, Agustín

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - The purpose of this article is to discuss the concept of agonistic peacebuilding in the light of the ongoing peace process in Colombia. The concept of agonistic peace was first coined by Shinko (2008) and later developed by scholars such as John Nagle (2014) and Karin Aggestam et al. (2015). Agonistic peacebuilding is an alternative to liberal peacebuilding strategies that try to eradicate dissensus through rational deliberation and universal norms. According to Aggestam et al. (2015) agonistic peacebuilding not only acknowledges conflict as an inevitable but also possibly productive dynamics. They also state that the suppression of antagonisms might trigger an escalation of violence. We subscribe to these basic ideas, but we believe that as humanities scholars we are able to qualify the notion of agonistic peacebuilding with some reflections on cultural memory and narrative, concepts already present within the existing literature, but that to our understanding need elaboration. Furthermore, we want to argue that, according to Mouffe (2013), agonism is a counter hegemonic social practice. By drawing on experiences of the peacebuilding process in Colombia and the last protests started in November 2019, and acknowledging the counter-hegemonic character of agonistic peacebuilding, we propose that the protest movement is an opportunity to transform the conflict from a conflict of recognition across the identity divide between citizens and guerillas into a conflict of distribution of resources. This transformation opens a window of opportunities for achieving peace.

AB - The purpose of this article is to discuss the concept of agonistic peacebuilding in the light of the ongoing peace process in Colombia. The concept of agonistic peace was first coined by Shinko (2008) and later developed by scholars such as John Nagle (2014) and Karin Aggestam et al. (2015). Agonistic peacebuilding is an alternative to liberal peacebuilding strategies that try to eradicate dissensus through rational deliberation and universal norms. According to Aggestam et al. (2015) agonistic peacebuilding not only acknowledges conflict as an inevitable but also possibly productive dynamics. They also state that the suppression of antagonisms might trigger an escalation of violence. We subscribe to these basic ideas, but we believe that as humanities scholars we are able to qualify the notion of agonistic peacebuilding with some reflections on cultural memory and narrative, concepts already present within the existing literature, but that to our understanding need elaboration. Furthermore, we want to argue that, according to Mouffe (2013), agonism is a counter hegemonic social practice. By drawing on experiences of the peacebuilding process in Colombia and the last protests started in November 2019, and acknowledging the counter-hegemonic character of agonistic peacebuilding, we propose that the protest movement is an opportunity to transform the conflict from a conflict of recognition across the identity divide between citizens and guerillas into a conflict of distribution of resources. This transformation opens a window of opportunities for achieving peace.

KW - agonistic peacebuilding, Colombia’s Peace Process, conflict of recognition, distribution of resources, FARC guerrilla

KW - clown intervention

KW - thick recognition

KW - La paz es una obra de arte

KW - narrative

KW - Colombia’s peace process

KW - Agonistic peacebuilding

U2 - 10.1080/01436597.2021.1993812

DO - 10.1080/01436597.2021.1993812

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0143-6597

VL - 43

SP - 1270

EP - 1287

JO - Third World Quarterly

JF - Third World Quarterly

IS - 6

ER -