Interweaving links and building new senses of commonality for peace building. A collaborative research experience to do, feel and think with others

Abstract

This article reports on a collaborative research experience initiated within the framework of the territorial -or extension- projects of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the Universidad Externado de Colombia. It is a collective process of transdisciplinary research initiated between the Direction and Coordination team of the Sociology Program of the Universidad Externado de Colombia and the Association of Black and Indigenous Peasant Women of Buenaventura - AMUCIB and its youth seedbed, around a common concern: how to think of alternative ways of sustaining life outside the extractivist logics based on accumulation and overexertion? In the first part we review the most important milestones that have made it possible to weave and strengthen links between the University and the Association. Then, we share reflections on the importance of university extension as a scenario that opens the possibility of building new senses of the common and think of creative and relevant solutions in a global context of multiple crises. Inhabiting the common does not only call us to resist or confront injustices and inequalities, but also to imagine and build other possible worlds where collective well-being is viable and sustainable. We conclude with reflections on the lessons learned and challenges that this experience has been leaving us, testing in our daily practices what it means to do, feel, think and build knowledge with others and not for others.