Indigenous Achí widows' experience of armed conflict in Rabinal, Guatemala : implications for peace and development in the aftermath of La Violencia

Abstract

This thesis explores how indigenous Achí widows experienced the internal armed conflict in Rabinal, Guatemala (especially during the period of La Violencia, 1978-1985) and the implications that this experience has had for peace and development. The fieldwork conducted in rural regions of Rabinal was based on an inductive research design using participant observation and life history interviews as the main methods of data collection. This thesis applies a multidimensional analysis to Achí widows' experience of La Violencia, exploring both socio-historical factors as well as more immediate circumstances--including specific types of violence inflicted on women during ethnic conflict as well as widows' struggles to ensure their own and their families' survival after the loss of their husbands. This thesis also analyses Achí widows' activism around issues of truth, justice and reconciliation in the aftermath of the conflict, examining the impacts that this activism has had on widows and their communities. This holistic analysis leads to a discussion of alternative concepts of peace and development.