‘Culture of Dialogue’ as a Decolonial Peace Building Tool: The Case of Colombia | Lucia Mesa Vélez

Описание: Lucia Mesa Vélez presented her paper "‘Culture of Dialogue’ as a Decolonial Peace-Building Tool: The Case of Colombia" in the second session (Dialogue, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding) of the Critical Dialogues: Dialogue and Conflict Resolution workshop, which was organised in partnership with Dialogue Society and the Journal of Dialogue Studies on 28 Nov 2019, London.

► Abstract:

This article is based on a four-month placement with the Colombian peace-building organisation Rodeemos el Diálogo (Embrace Dialogue, ReD) in London, as well as three years of working with the organisation in Bogotá, Colombia. It discusses the causes of violence in Colombia, the conceptualisation of dialogue, and ReD’s notion of a ‘culture of dialogue’. First, by explaining the coloniality of knowledge, power, and being in the Colombian context, I argue that the contemporary armed conflict is a legacy of colonial logics that are still being reproduced. Then, through a literature review on the concept of dialogue, I describe its origins, its potential to be a useful method to peacebuilding and the danger of it reproducing coloniality and control. Finally, I explain how ReD understands the ‘culture of dialogue’ and why it has the potential to resolve conflict in a non-violent way and take action against colonial-inherited inequalities and oppressions. I argue that to resolve Colombia’s violence it is necessary to address the coloniality of power, knowledge and being taking place. However, to address these it is of utmost importance to be able to acknowledge the existence of violence and to recognise the multiplicity of epistemologies that coexist in today’s world. Within these processes of recognition, culture of dialogue plays an important role.

► About Lucia Mesa Vélez

Lucía Mesa-Vélez is an MA candidate in Postcolonial Culture and Global Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London; Chevening Scholar; and member of Rodeemos el Diálogo (ReD).

► Academic Workshop: Critical Dialogues: Dialogue and Conflict Resolution

Dialogue Society and the Journal of Dialogue Studies organised a workshop on Nov 28, 2019 in London addressing the topic of ‘Critical Dialogues: Dialogue and Conflict Resolution’. As a tool of conflict resolution, dialogue can take on many different shapes and can be moulded to respond to each conflict. In some cases, it becomes a tent that gives shelter to both sides, creating an environment of peace and security; in some other cases, it becomes a ship that saves the parties from the results of the conflict. In all these shapes and forms, dialogue constructs an aura facilitating parties to settle their incompatible differences.

In this workshop we had 15 papers critically addressing the role of dialogue/s in resolution of different types/forms of conflicts, from military to inner (psychological and psychosocial) conflicts of individuals. The workshop highlighted four themes related to the concept of dialogue. These are:

► Intercultural Dialogue and Conflict
► Dialogue, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
► Dialogue, Conflict and Education
► Dialogue and Conflict in a Changing World





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About Dialogue Society

The Dialogue Society is a registered charity (Registered Charity Number: 1117039), established in London in 1999, with the aim of advancing social cohesion by connecting communities, empowering people to engage and contributing to the development of ideas on dialogue and community building. The Dialogue Society is not a religious or ethnic organisation. It aims to facilitate dialogue on a whole range of social issues, regardless of any particular faith or religion. It stands for democracy, human rights, the non-instrumentalisation of religion in politics, equality, and freedom of speech.