Community service has become an integral component of post-conflict reintegration efforts, aiming to foster reconciliation between former combatants and civilian communities. Since 2010, Colombia has implemented a unique and comprehensive reintegration process requiring former combatants to participate in non-remunerated community service. Despite its widespread implementation by practitioners and its recognition by policymakers as a valuable component of ex-combatant reintegration, community service remains surprisingly under-researched. Drawing from existing literature on social reintegration, intergroup reconciliation, and desistance, this study investigates the conditions under which such programs contribute to former combatants’ willingness to reconcile with civilians. Twelve in-depth interviews conducted with young Colombian former combatants served as data for a qualitative process-oriented analysis. Higher levels of willingness to reconcile are encountered when former combatants work with civilians, when the program enables them to engage in a dialogue with civilians or to be in direct contact with the beneficiaries of their work. Certain community services thus seem to positively affect former combatants’ attitude towards reconciliation, both accelerating the attitude change and broadening its effects to a wider array of individuals. These findings inform practices of social reintegration in Colombia and Central America, offering further insights for worldwide applications.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-530987 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Lluansi-Pârvu, Salomé |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för freds- och konfliktforskning |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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