Julián Naranjo Vasco

Colombian researcher and artist interested in socio-environmental conflicts, art, and education. I have worked on various participatory projects aimed at reconstructing memories and strengthening the self-government of ethnic communities, including indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. I also have designed courses in peacebuilding, gender perspective, and conflict resolution for different audiences in various contexts. 

My PhD research looks to answer how the avocado boom and its sustainable policies (re)shape the hydrosocial territories in the Caldas region of the Colombian Central Andes. Three case studies will be explored in one of the epicenters of the Hass avocado boom in Colombia, in the department of Caldas. These cases will investigate three dimensions: (1) the transformation of everyday relationships that people establish with and through water; (2) the reorganization of local water governance linked to production and the sustainable development policies of the sector; (3) how socio-environmental conflicts associated with water emerge and are resolved in this context.