Local conceptions of child agency in post-conflict reintegration

Abstract

Due to the emphasis on notions of innocence, dependency, and vulnerability, coupled with normative expectations surrounding children and their 'agency,' former child soldiers/returnees are often treated more as aid recipients than active participants in their own reintegration. This study explores the complexities of child agency in post-conflict environments, examining returnees' nuanced realities and participatory experiences beyond traditional wartime narratives, thus redefining 'child' and childhood in the aftermath of prolonged conflict. By challenging conventional understandings that drive reintegration programs for 'child' returnees, it emphasises alternative pathways for participation and reconciliation rooted in local contexts. The research investigates how local norms, values, and practices shape agency, posing the question: 'How do alternative conceptions of child agency and participation unsettle pre-existing structures and approaches towards the post-conflict reintegration of children?' Centred on the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda, this research employs a qualitative, informed grounded theory approach integrating a critical literature review, alongside semi-structured focus groups and interviews conducted in Gulu. Participants include former child soldiers, communities, child mothers, children born in captivity, and organizations dedicated to children’s rights and post-conflict reconciliation. Through open, axial, and focused coding of data, the study illuminates how local contexts shape children's roles, self-determination, and reciprocal relationships post-conflict, proposing a contextual and inclusive model for their reintegration and reconceptualising child agency in this context. This research thereby contributes a normative understanding of child agency in post-conflict settings, advocating for the incorporation of local insights to foster meaningful participation and holistic reintegration for former child soldiers long-term.