Art, Science and Anthropology: Co-Creating Knowledge and Building Peace in Colombia

Following a peace agreement with guerrillas in November 2016, Colombia has been transitioning from almost six decades of violence to a post-conflict period. In such a process, members of society must reestablish dialogue and learn to coexist. Based on a participatory art approach used during a science project that involved ex-combatants, community leaders and biology researchers, this paper presents research methods that combine art and design exercises to advance scientific knowledge. Participants contributed to and developed new ways of understanding biological knowledge. Their collaboration also forged mutual trust and progress toward peace in the region.