Project Summary
This project is hosted by: Institute of Commonwealth Studies
- Research interests:
- Academic Support, Civil Rights, Human rights, International Law
- Regions:
- South America, South America
- Project period:
- 31-Aug-2011 - 31-Aug-2012
- Project summary:
- Funded by a Knowledge Transfer grant from the ESRC, this project aimed to mitigate the insecurity faced by the millions of displaced persons (desplazados) in Colombia when they return home during the protracted armed conflict.
My interdisciplinary doctoral research in Colombia has shown that:
(1) Most desplazado returns are to zones of active conflict, but returnees utilise various strategies to improve community resilience to harms and livelihood risks associated with the armed conflict.
(2) State law, policy and practice display serious shortcomings, including a lack of support for returnees' local strategies to manage insecurity.
(3) Local and international organisations can play a crucial role in mitigating insecurity for returnees, but often miss this opportunity.
Grounded in these research outputs, the project has promoted strategies to reinforce security for returnees through a process of dialogue and 'knowledge exchange' with the public and third sectors in Colombia. This has been achieved through a series of workshops, public debates and other targeted interventions directed towards improving the law, policy and practice of key institutions that have a determinate influence on the security of desplazado communities returning home in the midst of the armed conflict. The input of these ultimate beneficiaries has been incorporated as a crucial component of the dialogues.
View this project on RCUK gateway
Management Details
Lead researcher & project contact:
| Name | Position | Institute | Organisation | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr David Cantor | Lecturer in International Human Rights | Institute of Commonwealth Studies | School of Advanced Study, University of London | David.Cantor@sas.ac.uk |