Thinking about peace research in 21st century latin america

Abstract

With the end of military dictatorships in the Southern Cone and the signing of peace accords that followed the civil wars in Central America, most violent conflicts in Latin America have been considered to belong to the past. Consequently, the region has been overlooked by peace researchers. Nevertheless, for many countries within the region, violence has only further escalated over the last 30 years. Countries such as Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico are now considered to be some of the most violent countries in the world.4 Fuelling both violent conflict and the maintenance of structural injustice are economic inequalities and impunity, lack of the rule of law, and continuing human rights abuses. These issues have prompted various theoretical explanations. A peace research perspective, however, which challenges prevalent definitions of war, conflict, and peace, is often missing from these explanations.