SHINING PATH OF PERU: A PRODUCT OF LATIN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY RADICALISM?

Year 2017, Volume: 19 Issue: 2, 1 - 19, 01.04.2017

David Scott Palmer

Abstract

This paper provides a perspective on university radicalization in Latin America and the emergence of a far-left Maoist guerrilla organization in Peru. In comparison with the radicalization process which has inflamed much of the Middle East in recent years, Peru’s experience may not appear to be particularly relevant, given such differences in historical, cultural, and political realities. It is clearly the case that lessons learned from experiences in one part of the world do not necessarily translate well into other historical, cultural, religious, and political contexts. In fact, however, this case study of the rise and fall of the most extreme ideologically-driven terrorist organization in Latin American history provides a significant number of insights into why such movements succeed – and why they fail. The ability of a radical organization like Shining Path to emerge in a university under the leadership of a single professor over well more than a decade should offer an object lesson in how an institutional context specifically designed for learning and contributing to national progress can be grossly manipulated and abused

Keywords

Shining Path, University, Radicalization, Abimael Guzmán

Peru’nun ‘Aydınlık Yol’ Örgütü: Latin Amerika Üniversite Radikalliğinin Bir Ürünü Mü?

Abstract

Bu makale Latin America’da üniversite radikalleşmesine dair bir perspektif sunmakta ve Peru’da aşırı-sol Maocu bir gerilla örgütünün ortaya çıkışını tartışmaktadır. Günümüzde Ortadoğu’yu içine alan radikalleşme süreçleriyle karşılaştırıldığında, Peru tecrübesi, özellikle tarihsel, kültürel ve siyasal gerçeklikler göz önüne alındığında alakasız durabilir. Gerçekten de dünyanın bir köşesindeki olaya dair detaylar dünyanın geri kalanında farklı tarihsel ve siyasal tecrübelere ve durumlara denk düşmeyebilir. Ancak Latin Amerika tarihinin en ideolojik temeli aşırılıkçı terör örgütünün yükselişi ve düşüşünün ele alındığı bu makale bu tür akımların neden başarılı olduğu ve nasıl düşüşe geçtiğine dair kıymetli ipuçları sunabilir. Aydınlık Yol örgütü gibi tek bir profesörün liderliğinde, üniversite ortamında, on yıldan fazla bir sürede ortaya çıkan radikal bir örgüt öğrenim ve ulusal kalkınma için tasarlanmış, varlık amaçları bunlar olan bir kurumsal ortamın üniversitenin nasıl manüpüle ve istismar edilebileceğine dair ders niteliğinde bilgiler sunmaktadır

Keywords

Aydınlık Yol, Radikalleşme, Abimael Guzmán, Peru

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