23 avril 2026 • 11:30 23 avril 2026 • 12:30

Pavillon Lionel-Groulx, salle C-3123

As a data generation method that enables research participants to speak about their trajectories through conflict on their own terms, with the researcher guiding rather than determining the direction of the conversation, life histories are uniquely positioned to help us explore questions relevant to the study of civil wars and political violence that might otherwise go unnoticed in archival, structured interview, and survey research. Drawing on fieldwork in Colombia, I unpack the foundations of this method, demonstrate how it can be applied to the study of non-state armed organizations’ internal dynamics, and outline key lessons that emerge from its use.