Harvesting peace: Permaculture as peacebuilding

Abstract

This dissertation is a qualitative case study of permaculture, a sustainable agriculture model based on bio-mimicry, in postconflict El Salvador. The case study is intended to be both descriptive and theory-building by providing empirically grounded insights into permaculture as a peacebuilding tool. A grounded theory investigation into permaculture practitioners’ experiences revealed that permaculture is a holistic peacebuilding model that addresses war-induced environmental damage and postconflict structural violence. Permaculture impacts multiple dimensions of practitioners’ lives, functions as sustainable livelihood education, contributes to the eco-localization of economies, and builds community between individuals while also creating a relationship of agency between natural environments and permaculture practitioners.