معرفی
Cristina Sala Valdes is a Senior Research Associate at the School of Global Development, University of East Anglia, and holds a professorial role as counsellor and tutor for MA programs at the Campus for Peace (Open University of Catalonia) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Her work bridges academic research and practical peacebuilding, with a strong focus on Latin America, particularly Colombia and Guatemala.
Education:
- PhD in Communication for Peace, University of Deusto
- MA in Evaluation of Public Policies and Programs, Complutense University
- Research experience via Marie Curie Grants at Uppsala University and University of Coimbra
Her research is rooted in communication for social change, conflict transformation, and decolonial theory. She employs participatory and undisciplined research methodologies to challenge dominant knowledge systems and promote locally grounded peace processes. Her work emphasizes restorative memory, pluriverse epistemologies, and the evaluation of communication in peacebuilding.
The most recent articles reflect a consistent focus on post-conflict societies, territorial peace, and participatory methodologies. They explore how communities in Colombia and Guatemala navigate state-building, environmental justice, and reparation policies after conflict. The interdisciplinary nature of her work spans peace studies, geography, political science, and decolonial thought.
Scientific Engagement:
- Active contributor to academic publications and policy-relevant research
- Collaborator with OBREAL (European Union Latin America Relations Observatory)
- Consultant for UNHCR and APROEVAL (Spanish Association of Evaluation)
Cristina advises MA students in peace and conflict programs and contributes to transdisciplinary research projects such as Ixchel, which uses arts-based methods to reduce disaster risk in Guatemala. She is deeply involved in creating frameworks that reposition communication as a tool for transformative and decolonial peacebuilding.
