Abstract

CRUZ RODRIGUEZ, Edwin. Studies About Paramilitarism In Colombia. anal.polit. [online]. 2007, vol.20, n.60, pp.117-134. ISSN 0121-4705.

This article reviews available bibliography on paramilitarism in Colombia, providing information on approaches, conceptions, hypotheses and methodologies related with it. The evolution of the paramilitary phenomenon has been studied from three types of relationships: the relationship between the paramilitary and the State, the relationship between paramilitarism, regional and local actors, and the relationships between paramilitarism, drug traffic and other financing sources. Although the separation among theses relationships is not clear in the study, a four-approach classification of the bibliography is proposed: the first one sees paramilitarism as an instrument for counter-insurgence and dirty war used by the State; the second one emphasizes on its strategic potential and as a coalition force involving local and regional actors; the third one conceives the paramilitary as an autonomous actor within the State, and the fourth one discusses the subordination of paramilitarism to drug traffic and the search for other sources of income. A series of new perspectives on the study of the phenomenon are also mentioned, such as discourse analysis, the complexity approach, organizational analysis and theoretical perspectives. Finally, some gaps existing in the literature available are pointed out.

Keywords : paramilitarism; counter-insurgence; dirty war; drug traffic; organized crime; armed conflict.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )