Alejandro Jaramillo

ALEJANDRO JARAMILLO, then a graduate student at New York University, New York, New York, was approved funding in September 2023 to aid research on “Peace for Sale: The Mutual Lives of History and Commodities in Transitional Colombia,” supervised by Dr. Faye Ginsburg. This dissertation research examines the complex relationship between former FARC fighters and victim entrepreneurs in Colombia’s post-peace accord landscape through year-long fieldwork supported by the Wenner-Gren Foundation. By employing participant observation, media ethnography, and semi-structured interviews at commodity production sites and marketplaces, the grantee investigated how these venues act as platforms for commercializing “peace products.” This research demonstrates that collaborations between victim entrepreneurs and former combatants increase visibility and political legitimacy, establishing them as “peace entrepreneurs.” Instead of merely re-producing historical memory as previously hypothesized, the active production of peace becomes the primary focus in his approach to these commercial activities. Empirical insights are organized into five substantive chapters that examine the political economy of craft breweries, the establishment of a coffee growers’ federation, the challenges of state-sponsored cocoa production, the rise of beekeeping as a favored eco-friendly entrepreneurial path, and the influence of social media on the consumption of “peace commodities.” Each chapter highlights how these entrepreneurial initiatives redefine identity, promote reconciliation, and navigate risks in a context marked by ongoing threats from non-demobilized guerrillas. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurial dynamics shaping peacebuilding and political identities during Colombia’s decades-long political transition.