Descolonización de la Paz
"En este texto, el lector se encontrará con varios tópicos, pero quizás la más importante es que podrá ver entretejida en el libro una persona enamorada de la vida, con unas convicciones tan profundas sobre la existencia, sobre el respeto por la vida, los derechos humanos como concreciones históricas, los cuales por su parte defiende con vehemencia y con creatividad, sin temor a ese poder omnimodo que se encubre con discursos y modos de negociación: la perversidad de la guerra. Se trate entonces de una persona que tiene un discurso joven, atractivo, que atrapa desde que empieza a leer por la naturalidad del lenguaje, por la convicción de su apuesta; además de la espontaneidad del relato, al tiempo, que es profundo y riguroso intelectualmente." - Prof Diego Agudelo - Grupo de Investigación De Humanitate, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali, Colombia
"La autora se pregunta que se puede hacer ante el paradigma dominante que articula la paz liberal con los estudios de paz, surge por tanto la apuesta de descolonizar los supuestos desde, para y sobre la paz, que el Norte se a encargado de imponer, “la descolonización de la paz implica que la paz que ya existe a nivel local, que no tiene que ser construida de acuerdo a los valores y el entendimiento de que no son propios de ese entorno” (50). Descolonizar la paz es también desmontar los universales cartesianos en un ejercicio fuera de la política, que se ejercer más en la práctica de lo cotidiano, trasgrediendo los métodos convencionales de producción de conocimiento en los estudios de paz, de las visiones liberales de los contruccionistas de la paz, así como de la manera como se escribe y se aprende, “la enseñanza en favor y por medio de la descolonización de la paz no puede tener límites entre el “sujeto” y el “objeto.” No puede existir barreras que separen al investigador del investigado.” Descolonizar es buscar nuevas formas de empatía y con lo local, recociendo no unas, ni dos posibles paces, sino diferentes, múltiples, heterogenias tipos de paces que se nutren de lo loca, en otras palabras descolonizar es el proceso de mirar desde abajo, los campos y posibles paces que ya existen y que ya son posibles gracias a las voces que no sales a la luz, gracias a las posibilidades que crean los subalternos de la paz: descolonizar la paz "deriva parcialmente de una descolonización de la mente, del entendimiento cognitivo y emocional donde el individuo no necesariamente necesita expertos externos y sus recursos para dar forma a sus vidas diarias, más aún, traerles la paz”. - Prof Juan Daniel Cruz- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia
"La autora se pregunta que se puede hacer ante el paradigma dominante que articula la paz liberal con los estudios de paz, surge por tanto la apuesta de descolonizar los supuestos desde, para y sobre la paz, que el Norte se a encargado de imponer, “la descolonización de la paz implica que la paz que ya existe a nivel local, que no tiene que ser construida de acuerdo a los valores y el entendimiento de que no son propios de ese entorno” (50). Descolonizar la paz es también desmontar los universales cartesianos en un ejercicio fuera de la política, que se ejercer más en la práctica de lo cotidiano, trasgrediendo los métodos convencionales de producción de conocimiento en los estudios de paz, de las visiones liberales de los contruccionistas de la paz, así como de la manera como se escribe y se aprende, “la enseñanza en favor y por medio de la descolonización de la paz no puede tener límites entre el “sujeto” y el “objeto.” No puede existir barreras que separen al investigador del investigado.” Descolonizar es buscar nuevas formas de empatía y con lo local, recociendo no unas, ni dos posibles paces, sino diferentes, múltiples, heterogenias tipos de paces que se nutren de lo loca, en otras palabras descolonizar es el proceso de mirar desde abajo, los campos y posibles paces que ya existen y que ya son posibles gracias a las voces que no sales a la luz, gracias a las posibilidades que crean los subalternos de la paz: descolonizar la paz "deriva parcialmente de una descolonización de la mente, del entendimiento cognitivo y emocional donde el individuo no necesariamente necesita expertos externos y sus recursos para dar forma a sus vidas diarias, más aún, traerles la paz”. - Prof Juan Daniel Cruz- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia
Decolonizing Peace
Decolonizing peace offers a vivid critique of what I refer to as the "peace industry" and the neo-colonial Northern addiction to helping the Global South. The book looks at social complex adaptive systems for peace which do not rely on Northern funds, or well-meaning peace missionaries. I use chaos theory, cybernetics and panarchy as post-Cartesian lenses to analyse the sustainablity and resilience of local peace initiatives.
Reviews:
"Victoria Fontan is an emissary of the peace to come, and her work is one of the most meaningful contributions to peace studies I know of. If you haven't been lucky enough to be her student, you have the chance now to read this book. I wish every peaceworker the opportunity to nourish their work, and improve our world, by reading it." -Oliver Rizzi Carlson - Newsletter Editor, Global Campaign for Peace Education, USA
"This is a thought provoking study, which through a blend of theory, activism, and detailed empiricism, exposes a paradox at the heart of peace thinking: the tension between colonial and universalist epistemology and liberation or self determination. It is a much needed contribution." -Prof. Oliver Richmond- University of Manchester, UK
"A key book to rethink the peacebuilding sector and its risk to be part of neo-colonial policies. A milestone for scholars and practitioners in the field." - Dr. Bernardo Venturi - University of Bologna, Italy
Reviews:
"Victoria Fontan is an emissary of the peace to come, and her work is one of the most meaningful contributions to peace studies I know of. If you haven't been lucky enough to be her student, you have the chance now to read this book. I wish every peaceworker the opportunity to nourish their work, and improve our world, by reading it." -Oliver Rizzi Carlson - Newsletter Editor, Global Campaign for Peace Education, USA
"This is a thought provoking study, which through a blend of theory, activism, and detailed empiricism, exposes a paradox at the heart of peace thinking: the tension between colonial and universalist epistemology and liberation or self determination. It is a much needed contribution." -Prof. Oliver Richmond- University of Manchester, UK
"A key book to rethink the peacebuilding sector and its risk to be part of neo-colonial policies. A milestone for scholars and practitioners in the field." - Dr. Bernardo Venturi - University of Bologna, Italy
Voices from Post-Saddam Iraq, foreword by Louis Kriesberg
Even today, most Americans can not understand just why the fighting continues in Iraq, whether our nation should be involved there now, and how we could change our tactics to help establish a lasting peace in the face of what many fear will become a full-fledged civil war. In the book at hand, Victoria Fontan shares pointed insights into the emotions of Iraq's people, and specifically how democratization has in that country come to be associated with humiliation. Including interviews with common people in Iraq this work makes clear how laudable intentions do not always bring the desired result when it comes to international conflict and cross-cultural psychology.
Reviews:
"This gripping text is focused on a new and growing area of human psychology - humiliation studies. In it (Fontan) spotlights aspects of U.S. actions - and Iraqi perceptions - that have fueled ongoing conflict and left some increasingly outspoken residents of the U.S., and the rest of the world, demanding that foreign forces be withdrawn and the Iraqis left to their own accord. The work examines issues including how and when the Iraqis began to see the United States, as not a liberator but as an occupier; how both Abu Ghraib and our ensuing handling of the scandal heightened Iraqi humiliation and fighting; how we've fueled the ethno-religious unrest that still rages today; and how the Post-Saddam elections paved the way for civil war. Fontan also describes the role of women in Iraq who may ultimately be an important key to peace and explains her views on the new role the U.S. may play to better help establish peace." -ABC-Clio Editorial Review-
"Among the numerous books on the Iraq conflict to appear in recent years, Fontan's stands out because of the range of perspectives she brings to bear to illuminate her subject: she brings a journalist's ear for compelling stories, a scholar's analytical tools that provide these stories with meaning, and an activist's passion for the human beings at the heart of her writing. By studying the Iraq intervention through a psychological and cultural framework, and by focusing on the effects of humiliation across the political and social landscape of Iraq, her work serves as a vital reminder that what really matters in cases like this is how the intervention is perceived by the population of the target state, no matter how well-intentioned the intervention might be." -Dr. Scott A. Silverstone- United States Military Academy, USA
Reviews:
"This gripping text is focused on a new and growing area of human psychology - humiliation studies. In it (Fontan) spotlights aspects of U.S. actions - and Iraqi perceptions - that have fueled ongoing conflict and left some increasingly outspoken residents of the U.S., and the rest of the world, demanding that foreign forces be withdrawn and the Iraqis left to their own accord. The work examines issues including how and when the Iraqis began to see the United States, as not a liberator but as an occupier; how both Abu Ghraib and our ensuing handling of the scandal heightened Iraqi humiliation and fighting; how we've fueled the ethno-religious unrest that still rages today; and how the Post-Saddam elections paved the way for civil war. Fontan also describes the role of women in Iraq who may ultimately be an important key to peace and explains her views on the new role the U.S. may play to better help establish peace." -ABC-Clio Editorial Review-
"Among the numerous books on the Iraq conflict to appear in recent years, Fontan's stands out because of the range of perspectives she brings to bear to illuminate her subject: she brings a journalist's ear for compelling stories, a scholar's analytical tools that provide these stories with meaning, and an activist's passion for the human beings at the heart of her writing. By studying the Iraq intervention through a psychological and cultural framework, and by focusing on the effects of humiliation across the political and social landscape of Iraq, her work serves as a vital reminder that what really matters in cases like this is how the intervention is perceived by the population of the target state, no matter how well-intentioned the intervention might be." -Dr. Scott A. Silverstone- United States Military Academy, USA
Articles / Chapters in books
‘The case for Decolonizing Peace’ in Introduction to Conflict Resolution : Discourses and Dynamicsin S. Cobb, S. Federman, A. Castel (eds.). New York, Rowman & LittleField International, 2019.
‘La résilience Ecologique dans un Contexte de Justice Transitionnelle’, with A. Kilomba & S. Smis, Revue Congolaise de Justice Transitionnelle, Bruxelles: Editions du Pangolin, Vol 1, No. 1, pp. 66-90, January-March 2019.
‘Réduire la Violence a Travers la Resilience Ecologique dans les Communes du Sud Kivu’, with A. Kilomba, Revue Congolaise de Justice Transitionnelle, Bruxelles: Editions du Pangolin, Vol 1, , pp. 91-117, No. 1, January-March 2019.
‘Reclaiming power with from below: nascent subaltern peacebuilding in Canada, Colombia and Iraq.’, Perspectivas Internacionales, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Vol 10, No. 1, January-June 2015.
‘Out beyond Occupy Fallujah and the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham, there is a field.’ Researching Terrorism, Peace and Conflict Studies: Interaction, Synthesis and Opposition. H. Toros and Y. Tellidis (eds.). London: Routledge, 2015.
‘Democracy's Collateral Damage’ in Lee Bowen, et al., Every day life in the Muslim Middle East. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2014.
Cruz, Juan Daniel. and V. Fontan, ‘Una mirada subalterna y desde debajo de la Cultura de Paz, Caso: Grupo Mesa Juvenil 14 de Colombia..’ Revista Ra Ximhai, Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, Vol. 10, No. 4, January-June 2014.
‘Should God Remain? A Response from the Perspective of Peace and Conflict Studies’ in Susanne Scholtz (ed), God Loves Diversity and Justice. Lexington Books, 2013.
‘Explorando la possible decolonizacion de la paz’, Perspectivas Internacionales. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Cali, Volumen 8, Numero 1, Enero-Junio 2012.
'Humillaciòn y Lágrimas de Cocodrilo' in Al Kubri, No1, Año 2, San Jose, Centro de Estudios de Medio Oriente y Africa del Norte, Octubre-Diciembre 2011.
‘Gregory Bateson: A Practitionner’s Perspective’ in Dietrich, et al., The Palgrave International handbook of Peace Studies, London, Palgrave, 2011.
‘Every man for Himself’ in S Best, P. McLaren and A.J. Nocella, II, Academic Repression: The Assault on Free Speech in the Post 9/11 World, Oakland, CA, AK Press, 2010.
‘Understanding Islamic Terrorism: Humiliation Awareness and the Role of Nonviolence’ in R Senthil and R Summy, Nonviolence: An Alternative for Defeating Global Terror(ism), Happauge: Nova Science Publishers, 2007.
‘“Our ears and our eyes”: journalists and fixers in Iraq’, written with Jerry Palmer, Journalism, Vol. 8, No. 1, 5-24, Sage Publishers, 2007.
‘Polarization between occupier and occupied in Post-Saddam Iraq: humiliation and the formation of political violence’ in Terrorism and Political Violence, 18:217-238, Routledge: Taylor and Francis. Spring 2006.
‘Le discours d’al-Manar : vecteur de glasnost du Hezbollah ?’ in Questions de Communication, Vol 8, Université de Metz, France. April 2006.
‘Hubris, History, and Humiliation: Quest for Utopia in Post-Saddam Iraq in Social Alternatives (Special Issue "Humiliation and History in Global Perspectives"), Vol. 25, No. 1, First Quarter, 2006.
‘Al-Manar TV and Lebanese Women’s Groups’ in Naomi Sakr, Women and Media in the Arab World. London: IB Tauris, 2004.
‘The International Media and the Lebanese Hezbollah: reporting or supporting a third party?’, in Humanitariannet, The Emotion and the Truth: Studies in Mass communication and conflict. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2003.
‘The importance of education and training in modern peace operations’ in The Yearbook of International Peace Operations, Volume 9, 2003. Amsterdam: Brill Academic Publishers.
‘The Media and Conflict Prevention: Warning or Monitoring? The Case of Dvar, Bosnia’ in M Aguirre, F Ferrandiz & J-M PurezaBefore Emergency: Conflict Prevention and the Media. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2003.
‘Responses to human trafficking: from the Balkans to Afghanistan’ in C Van den Anker, The Political Economy of New Slavery London: Palgrave, 2003.
‘US Newsmedia influence on US Foreign Policy: from the Gulf war to the War on Terrorism’, UL Perspectives, Volume 1, February 2002.
‘David vs. Goliath: The Lebanese Hezbollah in the Current World Order’ in Journal of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations. Kuala Lumpur: IDFR Press, December 2002.
‘La résilience Ecologique dans un Contexte de Justice Transitionnelle’, with A. Kilomba & S. Smis, Revue Congolaise de Justice Transitionnelle, Bruxelles: Editions du Pangolin, Vol 1, No. 1, pp. 66-90, January-March 2019.
‘Réduire la Violence a Travers la Resilience Ecologique dans les Communes du Sud Kivu’, with A. Kilomba, Revue Congolaise de Justice Transitionnelle, Bruxelles: Editions du Pangolin, Vol 1, , pp. 91-117, No. 1, January-March 2019.
‘Reclaiming power with from below: nascent subaltern peacebuilding in Canada, Colombia and Iraq.’, Perspectivas Internacionales, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Vol 10, No. 1, January-June 2015.
‘Out beyond Occupy Fallujah and the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham, there is a field.’ Researching Terrorism, Peace and Conflict Studies: Interaction, Synthesis and Opposition. H. Toros and Y. Tellidis (eds.). London: Routledge, 2015.
‘Democracy's Collateral Damage’ in Lee Bowen, et al., Every day life in the Muslim Middle East. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2014.
Cruz, Juan Daniel. and V. Fontan, ‘Una mirada subalterna y desde debajo de la Cultura de Paz, Caso: Grupo Mesa Juvenil 14 de Colombia..’ Revista Ra Ximhai, Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, Vol. 10, No. 4, January-June 2014.
‘Should God Remain? A Response from the Perspective of Peace and Conflict Studies’ in Susanne Scholtz (ed), God Loves Diversity and Justice. Lexington Books, 2013.
‘Explorando la possible decolonizacion de la paz’, Perspectivas Internacionales. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Cali, Volumen 8, Numero 1, Enero-Junio 2012.
'Humillaciòn y Lágrimas de Cocodrilo' in Al Kubri, No1, Año 2, San Jose, Centro de Estudios de Medio Oriente y Africa del Norte, Octubre-Diciembre 2011.
‘Gregory Bateson: A Practitionner’s Perspective’ in Dietrich, et al., The Palgrave International handbook of Peace Studies, London, Palgrave, 2011.
‘Every man for Himself’ in S Best, P. McLaren and A.J. Nocella, II, Academic Repression: The Assault on Free Speech in the Post 9/11 World, Oakland, CA, AK Press, 2010.
‘Understanding Islamic Terrorism: Humiliation Awareness and the Role of Nonviolence’ in R Senthil and R Summy, Nonviolence: An Alternative for Defeating Global Terror(ism), Happauge: Nova Science Publishers, 2007.
‘“Our ears and our eyes”: journalists and fixers in Iraq’, written with Jerry Palmer, Journalism, Vol. 8, No. 1, 5-24, Sage Publishers, 2007.
‘Polarization between occupier and occupied in Post-Saddam Iraq: humiliation and the formation of political violence’ in Terrorism and Political Violence, 18:217-238, Routledge: Taylor and Francis. Spring 2006.
‘Le discours d’al-Manar : vecteur de glasnost du Hezbollah ?’ in Questions de Communication, Vol 8, Université de Metz, France. April 2006.
‘Hubris, History, and Humiliation: Quest for Utopia in Post-Saddam Iraq in Social Alternatives (Special Issue "Humiliation and History in Global Perspectives"), Vol. 25, No. 1, First Quarter, 2006.
‘Al-Manar TV and Lebanese Women’s Groups’ in Naomi Sakr, Women and Media in the Arab World. London: IB Tauris, 2004.
‘The International Media and the Lebanese Hezbollah: reporting or supporting a third party?’, in Humanitariannet, The Emotion and the Truth: Studies in Mass communication and conflict. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2003.
‘The importance of education and training in modern peace operations’ in The Yearbook of International Peace Operations, Volume 9, 2003. Amsterdam: Brill Academic Publishers.
‘The Media and Conflict Prevention: Warning or Monitoring? The Case of Dvar, Bosnia’ in M Aguirre, F Ferrandiz & J-M PurezaBefore Emergency: Conflict Prevention and the Media. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2003.
‘Responses to human trafficking: from the Balkans to Afghanistan’ in C Van den Anker, The Political Economy of New Slavery London: Palgrave, 2003.
‘US Newsmedia influence on US Foreign Policy: from the Gulf war to the War on Terrorism’, UL Perspectives, Volume 1, February 2002.
‘David vs. Goliath: The Lebanese Hezbollah in the Current World Order’ in Journal of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations. Kuala Lumpur: IDFR Press, December 2002.
