The colombian armed conflict has been object of several denomination and characterization attempts led by different sectors, particularly the academic one, which presupposes the importance of the political and juridical consequences of such labeling. Nevertheless, the present article shows that under the current conditions, the juridical relevance of a specific denomination or characterization of the conflict is nonexistent. After assuming such irrelevance and recognizing that the relation between the theoretical proposals and the spheres where collective decisions are made is only indirect and contingent, this paper analyzes the main academic attempts to label and characterize the colombian armed conflict.