‘Colombia Outside of Colombia’: Historical Trajectories of the Conceptualisation of Exile and the Work of the 2018–2022 Colombia Truth Commission

ABSTRACT

The article analyses the exile work of the 2018–2022 Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non‐Repetition (Comisión para el Esclarecimiento de la Verdad, la Convivencia y la No Repetición — CEV). It situates the CEV's work in relation to earlier official reports, state‐led analyses and civil society initiatives in Colombia. It also examines how exile has been conceptualised, rendered visible or marginalised historically across these various frameworks, from the period of bipartisan violence to the CEV's recent work. It focuses on the conceptual and methodological innovations introduced by the CEV, including its transnational approach, the establishment of an international team, and the production of a dedicated volume as part of its Final Report. It argues that the CEV marks a turning point in the recognition of exile and contextualises the Commission's work against the background of previous commissions and reports. It also highlights the challenges that remain in terms of acknowledgement and reparation within national and regional debates on exile in Latin America.