Disaffection, (Dis)Engagement and Grassroots Organising: Political Reintegration in the Colombian Peace Process

Tatiana Suarez

doi:10.1590/SciELOPreprints.14073

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Tatiana Suarez University of London https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1078-0628
- Writing – Original Draft Preparation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.14073

Keywords:

ex-combatant reintegration, political disaffection, post-conflict, peacebuilding, rebel party theory, grassroots organising

Abstract

This article examines how former combatants interpret and enact “political reintegration” in response to growing disillusionment with the political party that emerged from the 2016 Peace Agreement between the FARC and the Colombian government. Beyond provisions for the social and economic reintegration of ex-combatants, the Agreement mandated the FARC's transformation into a political party with congressional representation and temporary concessions. Yet the party's influence has remained marginal, constrained by low societal acceptance, poor electoral performance, organizational challenges, and internal divisions. Meanwhile, ex-combatants in rural settlements continue to navigate everyday life amid worsening economic hardship and public insecurity. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in one such settlement, the article shows how disappointment with the implementation of the Peace Agreement, the FARC party's weak performance, and perceived abandonment by former leaders have fueled widespread political disaffection among ex-combatants. At the same time, it traces how grassroots, female-led initiatives have mobilized to meet urgent socioeconomic needs, generating alternative political subjectivities and organizational forms beyond formal institutional channels. By illuminating these dynamics, the article offers new insights into the often-overlooked political dimensions of reintegration processes.

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Author Biography

Tatiana Suarez, University of London

I am a Social Sciences lecturer and researcher specialising in civil conflict, peace processes, and Latin American politics. My research interests centre on the demobilisation of non-state armed groups, ex-combatant reintegration, and grassroots peace-building, with a particular focus on Colombia and the wider Latin American region. I also bring expertise in Spanish language, culture, and societies.

My interdisciplinary research on the reintegration of FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) guerrillas following Colombia’s 2016 Peace Agreement has provided me with robust experience in ethnographic fieldwork, including participant observation and in-depth interviews. I am well equipped to oversee and conduct field research and to analyse and produce research outputs with a strong commitment to research ethics and the safeguarding of sensitive information in conflict-affected environments.

I have extensive experience in the UK Higher Education sector, designing and delivering undergraduate modules on social, cultural, and political themes connected to Latin America. I am committed to fostering independent thinking and active student engagement through participatory, inquiry-led, and reflective pedagogies.

Currently, I am a Research Associate at the Department of Politics and International Studies at SOAS and a Visiting Lecturer at LSE and have taught modules on Latin American politics, Spanish language, and culture at institutions including King’s College London, London Business School, London Metropolitan University, and Regent’s University London.