La ideología política, las creencias sociales y la polarización como obstáculos psicosociales para la democracia y la paz en Colombia, 2016-2020

The study presented in this article aims to understand social beliefs as they configure themselves as ideology and are associated with political polarization and its impact, thus constituting psychosocial obstacles to peace and democracy in Colombia between 2016 and 2020. A qualitative method was employed from a hermeneutic perspective, through which 256 phenomenological and in-depth interviews were conducted with participants from 9 cities in the country. The results revealed entrenched beliefs about polarization and radical convictions regarding issues such as security, justice, equity, and freedom, as well as delegitimization and disqualification of the political adversary. In this framework, more than a logic of ideological polarization, scenarios of affective polarization are constituted. Therefore, it is concluded that polarization is not limited to ideological opposition, but implies the disqualification of the other as an absolute enemy, fueling a scenario of antagonistic confrontation rooted in the violent history of the country.