Presenter(s): Sarah Pishioneri—Political Science
Session 4: Cultural Considerations—The Other
This presentation details community organizing practices that work to rebuild a social framework devastated by armed conflict in Caño Berruguita, a rural village in the Montes de Maria region of northwestern Colombia . Through an exploratory analysis of this particular community’s post- conflict experience and by looking more broadly at the rural reform efforts by governmental bodies and nongovernmental organizations, this presentation highlights local organizing efforts as the primary means of Colombian communities to reclaim their communal dignity and assert their territorial autonomy . The findings of this work are primarily sourced from a 10-day field study in Caño Berruguita, and secondarily from varying peace and conflict contexts provided in a 4-week intensive study program in Cartagena, Colombia . Results show that while structural organizations, projects, partnerships, and goals of informal and formal community groups not only rebuild, but embolden rural communities, community leaders themselves face significant risk by engaging in this work .