Civil Resistance and Violent Conflict in Latin America: Mobilizing for Rights (Studies of the Americas)

This book explores distinct forms of civil resistance in situations of violent conflict in cases across Latin America, drawing important lessons learned for nonviolent struggles in the region and beyond. The authors analyse campaigns against armed actors in situations of internal armed conflict, against private sector companies that seek to exploit natural resources, and against the state in defence of housing rights, to cite only some scenarios of violent conflict in which people in Latin America have organized to resist imposition by powerful actors and/or confront violence and oppression. Each of the nine cases studied looks at the violent context in which civil resistance took place, its modality, its results and the factors that influenced these, as well as the challenges faced, offering useful insights for scholars and practitioners alike. 1 Introduction: Civil Resistance in Contexts of Violent Conflict in Latin America—Leveraging Power to Defend One’s Rights Cécile Mouly and Esperanza Hernández Delgado 2 The Civil Resistance of Yaqui and Guarijio in Sonora, Mexico: Meanings, Scope and Challenges Esperanza Hernández Delgado 3 A Rebellion of Spirituality: On the Power of Indigenous Civil Resistance in Honduras Mónica A. Maher 4 ¿Qué Diría Carlos? The ‘No al Canal’ Movement and the Rhetoric of Resistance to Nicaragua’s ‘Grand Canal’ Sarah McCall and Matthew J. Taylor 5 Venezuelan Struggle Towards Democratization: The 2017 Civil Resistance Campaign Iria Puyosa 6 Alternative Forms of Civilian Noncooperation with Armed Groups: The Case of Samaniego in Colombia Juan Masullo, Cécile Mouly and María Belén Garrido 7 Civil Resistance and Peacebuilding: The Experience of the Peasant Worker Association of the Carare River Esperanza Hernández Delgado and Claudia Patricia Roa Mendoza 8 Nonviolent Resistance in the Struggle for Housing in Urban Areas of Brazil: The Direct Action of the Roofless Workers’ Movement Mario Ramírez-Orozco 9 Frames in Conflict: Discursive Contestation and the Transformation of Resistance Michael S. Wilson Becerril 10 Nonviolent Resistance in Plurinational Bolivia: The TIPNIS Case Theo Roncken 11 Conclusion: Civil Resistance in Latin America—A Viable Alternative for Ordinary People to Defend Their Rights 227 Cécile Mouly and Esperanza Hernández Delgado Index This book explores distinct forms of civil resistance in situations of violent conflict in cases across Latin America, drawing important lessons learned for nonviolent struggles in the region and beyond. The authors analyze campaigns against armed actors in situations of internal armed conflict, against private sector companies that seek to exploit natural resources, and against the state in defence of housing rights, bringing to light violent conflict in which people in Latin America have organized to resist imposition by powerful actors and/or confront violence and oppression. Each of the nine cases studied looks at the violent context in which civil resistance took place, its modality, its results and the factors that influenced these, as well as the challenges faced, offering useful insights for scholars and practitioners alike. Cécile Mouly is Research Professor at FLACSO Ecuador and a practitioner specializing in peace and conflict studies. Her publications include various articles on civil resistance in the context of armed conflict, and the role of civil society in peacebuilding. Esperanza Hernández Delgado is Professor at the University of La Salle, Colombia, and peace researcher, lecturer and consultant on local peace initiatives, civil resistance, mediations in the Colombian armed conflict, peace processes and peace education.