Kurzprofil
I earned a Ph.D. in Social Geography from the University of Rennes 2, France (2014) and have spent 18 years in academia and consultancy, focusing on peace, conflict, and security dynamics from spatial and ecological perspectives. My areas of specialization include political geography, political ecology, conflict analysis, peace studies, and the epistemologies and methodologies in social sciences.
I have held teaching and research positions in universities in Germany (Jena, Leipzig, Humboldt University), the USA (Notre Dame University), and Latin America (Externado University, Antioquia University, Tecnologica and Pedagogical University, FLACSO). Through these experiences, I have contributed to capacity-building projects and training programs in multicultural settings, while also developing networks and collaborations.
Networking, teaching, and research are the core areas of my professional and academic engagement. Working with social movements has provided insight into the efforts of grassroots communities in addressing social, political, and ecological challenges.
I am a member of research networks including The Maria Sibylla Merian Center for Advanced Latin American Studies (CALAS), the German Colombia Peace Institute (CAPAZ), and the Critical Geography Network Rooted in Latin America (GeoRaizAl).
Education:
- Postdoc, Reconciliation Studies, Jena Center for Reconciliation Studies, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 2017-2023.
- Ph.D. in Social Geography, University of the High Brittany Rennes 2, France, 2008-2015.
- Master 2 Research in Regional and Territorial Planning, University of the High Brittany Rennes 2, France, 2006-2007.
- Undergraduate in Geography, National University of Colombia, Bogota, Colombia, 1997-2002.
Experience
Since 2022 (ongoing)
- Secretary of the Global Understanding Commission in the International Geographical Union.
- Advisor of the Unit of Implementation of the Colombian Peace Agreement. Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic of Colombia. DAPRE
- Advisor to the Zero Hunger and the Human Right to Food Program. Ministry of Equality. Colombia.
- Co-coordination and research associated of The Academic Alliance for Reconciliation In the Middle East and North Africa (AARMENA) University Friedrich Schiller Jena
- Guest professor. Antioquia University.
- Since 2017 (ongoing)
- Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena. Associated Researcher of the Jena Center for Reconciliations Studies.
- Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena Lecturer in the Institute of Geography.
- Coordinator of the yearly conference Colombian Day conference. FSU Jena
- Parental leave 2018
2015-2017
· Georg Simmel Center Berlin – Research Associate
· Visiting Researcher, and Lecturer, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Faculty of Human and social sciences.
2013 – 2015
· Parental leave (2013-2014)
· Research Associate University of Leipzig (School of Global and Area Studies)
2003-2011
· Assistant professor Universidad Externado de Colombia
- Conflict analysis from a socio-spatial perspective
- Peace studies and territorial peace
- Environmental peace and environmental justice
- Reconciliation dynamics
- Everyday spatial practices of peace and security
- Landspace of food sovereignty
- Qualitative Data Analysis
- Spatial analysis with GIS, social cartography, and collective mapping
- Social movements, collective action, and political innovation
- Social conflicts and political geography
- Research methodologies and research design
- Research methodologies and research design in peace studies, political geography, and environmental conflicts
- Conflict analysis and dynamics of territorial conflicts
- Socio-spatial epistemologies
- Environmental thought
- Geographies of peace
BOOKS
· Peña, Luis (2017) Urban security in motion: State, collective actions, and daily practices in the face of insecurity. Bogota CIDS Externado University of Colombia.
· Peña, Luis, Some methodological elements to think spatially in social sciences. University Externado of Colombia. Research Center on Social Dynamics. CIDS. 2011.
· Peña, Luis, Essays on urban security and residential security. University Externado of Colombia. Research Center on Social Dynamics. CIDS. 2011
BOOKS CHAPTER
· Peña Luis (2023) Ecology And Spatiality of Reconciliation. The Territorialization of Life. In Ferrari, Tachini, Villanueva & Gustein, (editors) Transdisciplinary Approaches on Reconciliation Research, Vol. 9, Jena: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Retrieved from https://www.vandenhoeck-ruprecht-verlage.com/detail/index/sArticle/58442
· Peña, Luis (2023) Peace from Az Mapu perspective. The visión of peace among Mapuche community. CALAS. Guadalajara-Bielefeld University. Accepted not published yet.
· Peña, Luis (2023) Epistemic and Environmental Violence in Latin American Environmental Decolonial Thought. In Environmental violence. Edited by jean Paul Lederach and Richard Marcantonio. Cambridge University Press.
· Peña, Luis (2022) “The spatiality of the peace” in Reconciliation, Heritage and Social Inclusion in the Middle East and North Africa by Iyad Muhsen AlDajani (Editor), Martin Leiner (Editor), Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-08713-4_25
· Peña, Luis, 2022. Territorializing peace: how do we make peacebuilding territorial? Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs. Policy Brief No. 9, Notre Dame. https://curate.nd.edu/show/cr56n01348k
· Peña, Luis (2019), “if all you have a hammer everything looks like a nail. Securitartist political common sense in Colombia”. When will the tremor finish? Crisis, violence and peace in contemporary Latin America. Arias, D. Hatzky, C (editors). Center for Historical Research of Central America CIHAC. CALAS. San Jose of Costa Rica. https://cihac.fcs.ucr.ac.cr/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DiazHatsky-978-9968-919-48-7.pdf
· Peña, Luis, (2019) “Youth, actions, networks and space in the production of security in Bogotá”. In Gutiérrez Cham, Gerardo; Kaltmeier, Olaf (eds.): Here young people! Facing the crisis, Guadalajara: Editorial of the University of Guadalajara. CALAS. https://www.kerwa.ucr.ac.cr/bitstream/handle/10669/80998/2019-Un%2068%20imaginado.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
· Peña, Luis (2019), Territorial peace: connecting moral imagination and geographical imagination. German Colombian Center for Peace Studies. CAPAZ. Series: Documents. No. 2 https://www.instituto-capaz.org/en/documento-de-trabajo-capaz-paz-territorial-conectando-imaginacion-moral-e-imaginacion-geografica/
· Hanson, S.L., Sykes, M., & Pena, L.B. (2018). Gender Equity in Science: The Global Context. Int'l J. Soc. Sci. Stud., 6, 33. https://redfame.com/journal/index.php/ijsss/article/view/2704
· Peña, Luis, 2016 " The Secunormativity: the urban sociability seen throughout every day´s surveillance practices." URVIO-Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios de Seguridad 18 (2016): 104-123. https://revistas.flacsoandes.edu.ec/urvio/article/view/1792
· Peña, Luis, 2016. Defending the capital: the securitisation of the space of dependence of Bogota during Uribe Vélez administration. Cuadernos de Geografía, 25(2), 251. https://www.redalyc.org/journal/2818/281846286013/
· Peña, Luis, 2014. Contentious collective action, political process and the securitization of urban space. Construction geographies of hope. Territories Magazine, (31), 57-83. Doi: dx.doi.org/10.12804/territ31
