Pathways to Resilience III: Beyond Nature vs. Nurture

Abstract #274
Drawing Peace: Discourse Analysis of Former Child Soldiers in Post-Conflict Situations
Presenter: Eliza Martinelli  
Abstract:
The research discourses upon the social reintegration of former child soldiers in post-conflict, as resilience processes, in view of the obstacles of the United Nations Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration program (DDR) aimed at youngsters involved in armed groups. Thus, under the theoretical perspective of the Peace Studies, study developed at the University of Innsbruck (Austria), it is intended to analyze the deficiencies of the DDR program, whose bases are adaptations of a former pre-existent program for former adult soldiers and deal with a universalistic conception of childhood. It is necessary to acknowledge the specificities of former child soldiers at the time of social reinsertion, integrating the community in peacebuilding in conformity with its sociocultural values, besides highlighting the essential role of caregivers in the recovery of youngsters in post-conflict. Moreover, former child soldiers’ testimonials will be studied using the French strand of Discourse Analysis, to give voice to the youngsters and translate their real needs. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify the obstacles of the DDR program aimed at former child soldiers under the Peace Studies’ view along with Discourse Analysis, highlighting the importance of the former child soldiers community (reinsertion target) seen as protective factors.