Disappearance or Silent Presence? A case-study on the emergence, survival and growth of Colombian paramilitaries
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2024-09-04
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en
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This is a single-case study that employs a complex-time series approach, based on rich empirical data. This study examines the underlying mechanisms behind the emergence, growth, and survival of Colombian paramilitaries throughout a 50-year time period. The research is divided into three streams: the paramilitaries birth (1960––1990), the decentralisation reforms (1990––2003), and the post-paramilitarism Phase (2003––2010). Using Tilly and Tarrow’s (2015) framework on violent contention, the study explores the political opportunity structures and mobilisation processes that shaped paramilitaries’ persistence. Challenging the notion that paramilitaries flourish due to state weakness, this study argues that their survival is rooted in hybrid authority and differentiated state presence. It examines the reciprocal influence between the state and paramilitaries, highlighting how the latter adapted to various conditions to grow and survive. The study explores the organisational adaptability, strategic alliances, and organisational transformations of the paramilitaries, emphasising their ability to merge legal and illegal operations within state structures. By adapting Tilly and Tarrow’s (2015) framework and Hristov’s (2010) anti-ideological approach, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the paramilitaries’ behaviour and their complex relationship with the state. This research contributes to the understanding of the paramilitary phenomenon and the adaptability of Tilly and Tarrow’s framework, suggesting avenues for future comparative studies to explore similar mechanisms across countries.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen