Militarized Youth

Based on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews from across Colombia-including former child guerillas, former hostages of the guerilla organization, mothers of child soldiers, and humanitarian aid workers- this volume explores the experiences of children involved with the Colombian guerilla group the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Farc). Going beyond the predominant humanitarian perspectives on child soldiers, Johanna Higgs delves into the specific social and cultural aspects of the Colombian conflict to give a contextualized, culturally relevant understanding of the processes of both militarization and demobilization of children, deploying the theoretical lens of "lifeworlds." In so doing, Higgs not only provides insight into children's involvement in conflict in Colombia, but presents a clear case for a move away from homogenized understandings of "child soldiers," thus far dominated by viewpoints from industrialized Western nations. Tying together perspectives from anthropology, sociology, psychology, politics, and international development, Higgs provides a much-needed examination of how children are militarized, soldiering in the Farc context, and demilitarization, but also a blueprint for how research can be tied to specific cultural contexts.

Auteur

Johanna Higgs, Ph.D., is an anthropologist studying childhood, children in conflict, and women's rights around the world. She is the founder of Project Monma, an organization that which advocates for women's rights, and she has published numerous articles related to women's rights worldwide in such venues as Pass Blue, Independent Australia, the Huffington Post and Morocco World News.

Résumé

Based on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews from across Colombiaincluding former child guerillas, former hostages of the guerilla organization, mothers of child soldiers, and humanitarian aid workers this volume explores the experiences of children involved with the Colombian guerilla group the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Farc). Going beyond the predominant humanitarian perspectives on child soldiers, Johanna Higgs delves into the specific social and cultural aspects of the Colombian conflict to give a contextualized, culturally relevant understanding of the processes of both militarization and demobilization of children, deploying the theoretical lens of lifeworlds. In so doing, Higgs not only provides insight into children's involvement in conflict in Colombia, but presents a clear case for a move away from homogenized understandings of child soldiers, thus far dominated by viewpoints from industrialized Western nations. Tying together perspectives from anthropology, sociology, psychology, politics, and international development, Higgs provides not only a much-needed examination of how children are militarized, soldiering in the Farc context, and demilitarization, but also a blueprint for how research can be tied to specific cultural contexts.

Contenu
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Children of the Las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC)Chapter 2: Children and War: A Global PerspectiveIntroductionChildren and WarThe historical global contextWhy do children join armed groups?ColombiaConclusionChapter 3: Entering the FieldIntroductionThe Research TerrainEntering the fieldEthnography with former child combatantsLiving in MedellinThe second phaseBuilding trustThematic analysis'Me quedo callado,' navigating the silencesLimitationsSexual harassmentConclusionChapter 4: The LifeworldIntroductionLifeworlds in ColombiaThe lifeworld, the subjective and the socialConsciousness, identity and the lifeworldMultiple worlds, shifting worldsGrowing up in the world of violenceConclusionChapter 5: The Militarised Lifeworlds of Children in ColombiaIntroduction'The whole world is a war'The world of violencePerformative violence, drug trafficking, cocaineStructural inequalities and violenceHonour, guns and child recruitmentConclusionChapter 6: 'I'm a Soldier.' Life Inside the Armed GroupIntroductionArmed groups, violence and collective identityThe FARCSeparationTrainingMemoryCreating an OtherShifting into the guerrilla identityConclusionChapter 7: Coming Home: The Unmaking of a Child SoldierIntroductionReintegration and the Colombian peace processShifting out of the violent lifeworldDemobilising in violenceFocusing on the futureStigmatisation, Resentment and AcceptanceBecoming a civilian againMoving forward and economic opportunitiesConclusionChapter 8: Conclusion: Colombia and the Road to Peace