Waubonsee Community College

Young soldiers, why they choose to fight, Rachel Brett & Irma Specht

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-185) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Young soldiers

bibliography

53830868

Rachel Brett & Irma Specht

why they choose to fight

From the Publisher: "Young Soldiers explores the reasons that adolescents who are neither physically forced nor abducted choose to join armed groups. Drawing on in-depth interviews with the soldiers themselves, the authors offer an account of the role that war, poverty, education, politics, identity, family, and friends all play in driving these young men and women to join military life. They also address the important issues of demobilization and the reintegration process." International in scope, covering a variety of situations in Afghanistan, Colombia, Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom, Young Soldiers concludes with a discussion of the steps needed to create an environment in which adolescents are no longer "forced" to volunteer

Introduction. Vignette : Ali. -- 1. The broad context. War ; Poverty ; Education and employment ; Family and friends ; Politics and ideology ; Specific features of adolescence ; Culture and tradition ; Conclusion. -- 2. The life of a prospective volunteer. War and insecurity ; Economic motivation ; Education ; Family and friends ; The military/parties to the conflict ; Politics and identity ; Conclusion. -- 3. The critical moment. Outbreak of violence ; Lack of income/poverty ; School ; Family events ; Friends ; Recruitment ; Conclusion ; Vignette : Sayanathen. -- 4. A complex of risk factors. Javad's story ; Identifying risk factors and their linkages ; Conclusion. -- 5. Girls and boys. Religion and ethnicity ; Domestic exploitation and abuse ; Societal expectations and roles ; Protection for self and family ; Education ; Reaction to involvement ; Demobilization and reintegration ; Conclusion. -- 6. The concept of volunteering. Volunteering for what? ; How voluntary is voluntary? ; Legal issues ; Conclusion. -- 7. Conclusion. Key factors ; The right to leave ; Improving socioeconomic reintegration ; What prospects? -- Appendix I: Research and methodological issues. The project proposal ; The case studies ; Selection of informants ; The methodology of data collection ; The primary data ; Analysis and interpretation of data ; Instructions provided to researchers. -- Appendix 2: Conflict profiles. Afghanistan ; Colombia ; Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) ; Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ; Northern Ireland ; Sierra Leone ; South Africa ; Sri Lanka