Fragile Peace after Conflict: Desecuritisation of FARC in Colombia

This study aims to examine the desecuritization of FARC in Colombia during the presidency of Juan Manuel Santos. FARC had been a security issue in Colombia since the 1960s. Within the complex security problematique of Colombia, which included drug cartels, paramilitary groups, Communist guerrilla groups and rich land owners, FARC issue had a unique place as the longest internal conflict of the World in the last century. However, a successful peace process that is conducted by former President Santos has ended this half a century-long conflict. This process is important since it provides us important lessons for solving internal conflicts. Moreover, since the FARC issue had been one of the bloodiest and complex internal conflicts of the World, desecuritization of FARC in Colombia also offers important theoretical insights for the desecuritization approach. Therefore this study has two interrelated contributions to the literature of security studies. First, it examines the peace process through the lenses of desecuritization approach. Second, it contributes to the desecuritization approach by evaluating different approaches that are put forward by Ole Waever (1998, 2000), Jef Huysmans (1998, 2000, 2011), Lene Hansen (2000), Paul Roe (2004, 2006), Matti Jutila (2006), Rita Floyd (2015) and Claudia Aradau (2015, 2004).