ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we look at how the building of communities in conflict zones presupposes the building of common identities. This is especially true in a country like Colombia, where large sectors of people have been marginalized based on their race, age, geographical location, gender and sex identification, and socioeconomic class. In seeking inclusion, sectors of Colombian society have built strong communities that have also established common identities to fight for and secure citizenship and human rights for their communities. This is the case of coca leaf growers in the south of Colombia, who in their place of disfranchisement, found the impetus to create a powerful social movement and secure for themselves their citizenship status. In the constitution of common identities people claim and secure their human and citizenship rights, and this in turn contributes to building peaceful societies.
