ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we explore the historical context in which peacebuilding practices developed and have been intrinsically connected to the making of the political, social, and cultural fabric of Colombia. We also offer an alternative way for those interested in peacebuilding in Colombia and elsewhere, to incorporate historical and social contexts in their research and practice. Our approach seeks to distance our practice from essentializing violence or peace as a necessary condition for the development of history, without dismissing the influences that both violence and the search for peace have had in the making of Colombia, and the world, as we know it.
