Political violence against former combatants in Colombia

A Brief Reflection on the Effects of Collective Demobilization on Women

Bibliographic Data

ID6432416
AuthorsAndrea Marcela Barrera Téllez (0000-0002-9053-5310, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume17
Issue3
Pages217-227
Publication date2025-07-28
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1759-6599 • E-ISSN: 2042-8715
PublisherEmerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1108/jacpr-04-2025-1009
OpenAlexW4412736055
LanguageEN
References cited16

Purpose This paper aims to examine the experiences of three Colombian women, former combatants, as they cease their political militancy. It is shown that political violence against former combatants is central in postconflict political engagement lack. Design/methodology/approach The data – individual testimonies – was collected as part of a finished doctoral research project in Sociology and Gender Studies. These narratives were produced from in-depth interviews and an archive built by a collective initiative of ex-combatant women in Colombia. Findings The main contribution of this paper lies in its gender focus, which makes it possible to visualize political, emotional and caregiving dimensions that are generally absent in demobilization analyses. Research limitations/implications This paper focuses on demobilization processes that occurred in the 1990s. It makes it difficult to draw direct comparisons with the more recent experience of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - Ejército del Pueblo after the signing of the 2016 Peace Agreement. Social implications However, the experiences presented reveal how political violence persists in forms such as threats and assassinations. This situation demonstrates the need for reincorporation policies with a gender focus that guarantee security and recognize former combatants as key moral and political agents in peacebuilding. Originality/value The findings highlight the importance of guaranteeing real conditions of security, political participation and recognition of ex-combatants, whose role can be decisive in the consolidation of an inclusive and transformative peace

Criminology · Demobilization · Political science · Politics · Reflection (computer programming · Sociology · Conflict, Peace, and Violence in Colombia · Gender Studies · Gender, Security, and Conflict · History and Politics in Latin America · Law · Psychology

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