Peace Promotion through Restorative Community Design: Five Case Studies in Latin America

Abstract

Representative democracy is in crisis worldwide, notably in Latin America, where governments struggle to meet public expectations, exacerbating frustrations due to socioeconomic instability, poverty, violence, inequality, and a perceived inability to address these issues. Disenchantment often leads to the rise of authoritarian regimes, where a minority dictates decisions, initially appearing effective but ultimately favoring those in power and neglecting the majority. Such regimes frequently disregard civil liberties and the rule of law, fostering criminal violence and societal upheaval. In response, we propose the Restorative Community Design (RCD) framework, which fosters participatory democracy values by empowering communities to design their spaces in which they live. This chapter explores RCD concepts and case studies from Buenos Aires, Celaya, La Paz, Lima, and Pichincha. The framework systematically integrates urban design, community psychology, sociology, and restorative justice to foster community engagement and peace promotion strategies. Ten lessons learned from these examples conclude the discussion.