The politics and pitfalls of academic enthusiasm in peace building: examining researchers’ role in a rural education development project in Colombia

Abstract

This article is an effort to unveil how colonialism gets inscribed in research education initiatives during peace-building. To this end, we look behind the scenes of an education development project that sought to support a rural school in consolidating high-quality education during Colombia’s recent peace process. We examine how, in our roles as principal investigator and research assistant, our enthusiasm inadvertently contributed to perpetuating the colonial rule of the state in an area traditionally controlled by revolutionary groups. To do so, we follow the project from its design and negotiation to the delivery of results. By depicting how enthusiasm may shape a researcher’s reasoning, we aim to complicate our understanding of the research process and the enthusiasm that underpins peace efforts.