Navigating the Paradox of Fear: Collaborative Research Exploring Resettlement and Vulnerability with Displaced Women in Colombia

In April of 2008, the Colombian Constitutional Court issued a report based on women\u27s testimonials that identified gender-specific risks associated with forced displacement as result of armed conflict. This study explores the coping strategies employed by Colombian women to address socio-economic vulnerability and improve living conditions during resettlement in Bogotá. Specifically, the research tracks the process of adaptation during the struggle to achieve economic stability. The findings suggest that a prevailing culture of fear influences multiple aspects of adjusting to the city and constricts the participants\u27 access to new social networks. Lessons gathered from the participants using collaborative anthropological methods have important implications for aid donors who aim to support this vulnerable population. The study is timely because the Colombian government has made progressive attempts to support the internally displaced people, however there has been little qualitative research on the perception of this population, specifically mothers, as to whether this support is reaching them