Yoga As Embodied Peacebuilding: Moving Through Personal, Interpersonal and Collective Trauma(S) in Post-Conflict Colombia
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Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 2-25-2021 2:10 PM Yoga as embodied peacebuilding: Moving through personal, interpersonal and collective trauma(s) in post-conflict Colombia Mayme Lefurgey, The University of Western Ontario Supervisor: Quinn, Joanna, The University of Western Ontario A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies © Mayme Lefurgey 2021 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Community-Based Research Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Latin American Studies Commons, Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Lefurgey, Mayme, "Yoga as embodied peacebuilding: Moving through personal, interpersonal and collective trauma(s) in post-conflict Colombia" (2021). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 7692. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/7692 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract In this dissertation, I examine creative methods of peacebuilding that are both community- driven and embodied in their approach. I evaluate how these methods can simultaneously challenge the confines of conventional peacebuilding mechanisms in transitional and post- conflict contexts, while also offering a unique complement to existing programs and structures. I look at the multifaceted socio-cultural expressions of yoga globally, inquiring as to how this mind-body practice can offer opportunities in peacebuilding on both individual and collective levels. My project is rooted in the principles of community-engaged research and feminist research ethics. More specifically, this dissertation closely engages with the work of the Colombian non-profit organization, Corporación Dunna. Dunna works to address deeply rooted cyclical and intergenerational violence embedded in Colombian society through building capacity for coexistence and trust within communities. As such, their programming focuses on individual mental wellbeing as well as on addressing the manifestations of trauma in families, communities, and whole nations. The data collection process followed a snowball and community-driven approach to data collection. This process took place during a three-month research fellowship based in Bogotá and included semi-structured brief and in-depth interviews, with 73 participants across Colombia. Interviewees included Dunna’s staff and program participants, citizens- at-large, and various members of the non-profit and peacebuilding sector in Colombia. The research period took place in the months following the signing of the 2016 peace accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); my findings are situated within this context and fragment in history. My analysis of these interviews is informed by postcolonial feminist theories, transrational peace philosophy and the principles of elicitive peace work. My findings aim to expand on existing research within the field of peacebuilding and build the case for a deeper understanding of embodied approaches to peacebuilding in post-conflict and transitional contexts. Moreover, I argue for the need for a holistic approach to peace work that ii necessarily integrates the various layers of societal conflict including national, community, interpersonal, and individual aspects of human life. Summary for Lay Audience In this dissertation, I examine creative methods of peacebuilding (such as art and dance) and evaluate how these methods can both challenge and complement on-the-ground peacebuilding (such as peace accords or truth commissions) in societies transitioning from war and conflict. Specifically, I look at yoga and explore how this method can offer opportunities in peacebuilding by addressing individual and collective wellbeing in Colombia. My research took place in the months following the signing of the 2016 peace accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC); my findings are situated within this context and fragment in history. My research is community-based—I partner with the Colombian non-profit organization, Corporación Dunna—and follows the principles of feminist research. Dunna works to address deeply rooted and intergenerational violence. Their projects focus on building community, trust, and well-being through yoga. My research involved a 3-month fellowship in Colombia where I conducted conversational interviews which covered a wide range of topics related to yoga and peace with 73 participants. Interviewees included Dunna’s staff and program participants, citizens-at-large, and various members of the non- profit and peacebuilding sector in Colombia. Keywords Colombia, Peacebuilding, Peace process, Feminist methodology, Armed conflict, Yoga studies, Elicitive peacebuilding, Transrational peace philosophy, Arts-based peacebuilding, Transitional justice, Grassroots peacebuilding, Community-driven research, Trauma studies iii Acknowledgments Primeramente, quisiera agradecer a las personas que entrevisté en Colombia; sin su apoyo, no hubiera podido realizar ese proyecto. Gracias por compartir conmigo sus historias y su deseo de paz. Estoy eternamente agradecida por todo lo que he aprendido de cada uno de ustedes; quienes compartieron conmigo tanto conocimiento y sus momentos más vulnerables. I must first thank all the interviewees in Colombia without whom this project would not have been possible. Thank you for sharing with me your stories and hopes for peace. You have offered so much vulnerability and insight and I am forever grateful for all I have learned from each of you. María Adelaida López and Natalia Quiñones took a chance on me and went above and beyond to ensure that my stay in Colombia was memorable and magical. Their relentless commitment to reimagining a more peaceful world gave me the energy and determination I needed to finish this project. Thank you to the entire Dunna team for having the courage to forge new paths for peace in Colombia; it has been an absolute honour to learn from you and collaborate on this project. Special thanks to Aydee Velásquez Devia and Alejandra Orjuela Garcia of Dunna and Andrea Sarmiento Bernal for your generosity and kindness and for helping me navigate the everyday in Bogotá. Thank you to Marcela Gutiérrez, Marcela Uribe, Juan Daniel Olaya Velásquez, and Laura Cabrera for taking so much care with translating and transcribing this work. Thanks also to my Colombian peace studies colleagues and friends for taking me under your wings and inviting me into your social networks and homes, especially Alexandra Bernal Pardo and Camilla Villar Guhl. Les doy muchas gracias de todo corazón. To my supervisor Joanna Quinn, thank you for sticking with me this entire time, supporting me through the milestones and accomplishments, but most especially through the challenges, setbacks, and difficult days. I have learned so much from you and your academic and personal support has been invaluable. I am confident in saying I would not have reached this stage without you and I am forever grateful. I am also thankful for my committee members Amanda Grzyb and Kim Verwaayen who have guided me throughout the years. Special thanks to Kim for being the second set of eyes on this work; I appreciate iv your feedback and encouragement so much. Thank you to my dissertation examiners Susan St.Ville (University of Notre Dame), Erica Lawson, Tracy Isaacs and Scott Schaffer for your thoughtful feedback and care in assessing my work. Thank you to my colleagues and dearest friends from the women’s studies and TJ programs at Western, especially Miranda Niittynen, Jacqueline Potvin, Rachael Pack, Kim Dority and Tammy Lambert. You all gave me such a safe space to develop my feminist politics and find my way in this program. I moved to London not knowing a soul and left with lifelong friends. Thank you to the Innsbruck School of Peace Studies program and alumni community for providing such an incredible learning environment and for introducing me to the transformative work of embodied peacebuilding. Thank you to my colleagues from the Many Peaces Magazine, the NB Women’s Council, Pink Concussions and Omprakash from whom I have learned so much. Thank you to my many yoga teachers, especially June Lee, Phillippe Van Martin, and Dani Fagan for providing spaces for social and personal transformation. Thank you also to Tanya Irvine for your mentorship and guidance throughout. My closest friends have been a constant source of happiness and love in life. I am so grateful for each of you. Thank you also to the ‘Curable Ladies’ for hold space for me week after week in the vulnerable work of mind-body healing. Thank you to my family who have made this journey and this project possible: Rob, for believing in me when I struggled to believe in myself and for your unwavering love and support. My sweet Ollie pup, you have taught me so much about living in the moment—you are 16 pounds of pure joy. My sister Aysleigh, for being a constant source of grounding, friendship, and dog memes. My mom Kathy, for helping me dream so big; thank you for feeding me, taking care of me, and supporting