The Transformation of Ethnic Conflict: From Indigenous Guerrilla Movements to Political Parties

Aanvrager: Prof. dr. D.A.N.M. Kruijt (Universiteit Utrecht)

Samenvatting
This study is about shifting ethnic alliances with insurgent guerrilla movements in Bolivia and Guatemala (supported by Cuba) and the national armed forces, during the conflict and afterwards. In Bolivia, with divided indigenous loyalties, consecutive guerrilla movements were defeated. But afterwards, former guerrilla organisations and other popular movements formed a victorious indigenous emancipation government (2005, 2010). In Guatemala the guerrilla war lasted 36 years but in the post-war period the alliance between the indigenous movements and the guerrilla disintegrated, their political organisations reduced to dwarf parties in the 2000s. The 'why' and 'how' is the research core.