Childhood, Youth Identity, and Violence in Formerly Displaced Communities in Uganda

Namuggala, Victoria Flavia

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-96628-1

Cited by 6 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…Alison Watson points out that, 'children are generally perceived as not having any "power," as defined in a traditional sense, in the international system' (2015: 53). State protection is embedded in innocence narratives, a perspective that positions children as essentially passive and lacking control over what happens in their lives (Beier, 2015;Namuggala, 2018). Helen Berents highlights that 'dichotomies and stereotypes speak before young people themselves can offer alternatives' (2015: 3).…”

Section: Theoretical and Methodological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Militarization of childhood(s) in Donbas: ‘Growing together with the Republic’

Hoban¹

2021

Cooperation and Conflict

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This essay critically examines how the militarization of childhood(s) takes place in the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. The intensification of hostilities in Eastern Ukraine in mid-2014 has had a profound impact on local populations, particularly children. While no systematic recruitment and participation of children in conflict has been reported, childhood has become what Agathangelou and Killian would characterize as a ‘site for displacement and maneuvering for militarization.’ Drawing on feminist methodologies, I examine processes of the militarization of children’s everyday lives. This article investigates a range of ways in which authorities of proto-states in the Donbas region address children as participants and potential collaborators in the processes of militarization. In my analysis, I examine how war and preparation for it are simultaneously co-constituted by the geopolitical—legitimation of new proto-states—and everyday practices, such as engaging with school curricula, visiting museums, and (re)inventing historical narratives. Understanding of mechanisms that militarize childhood and how children become subjects and objects of militarization allows for a critical analysis that reveals spaces of everyday violence. This article, therefore, enhances our understanding about the intersections of childhood, militarism, and security.

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Section: Theoretical and Methodological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Militarization of childhood(s) in Donbas: ‘Growing together with the Republic’

Hoban¹

2021

Cooperation and Conflict

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“…Consequently, they are perceived negatively as offensive and degrading by those to whom they are applied. The mismatch between social constructions of children and how young people perceive themselves is worse in war-affected areas (Namuggala, 2018).…”

Section: Language and Identity Formationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Language Variances in Defining Young Women in Northern Uganda Humanitarian Settings

Namuggala

Kabonesa

2023

IJCYFS

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This paper, which focuses on formerly displaced communities in post-conflict northern Uganda, discusses the variance between the way formal institutions view young women’s identities and how young women see themselves. Based on a qualitative study that used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, findings indicate that the infantilizing and victimizing language adopted by these institutions does not reflect the identities of young women in the post-conflict setting. These women argue that terminology such as “child mother” and “child soldier” is disempowering, denying them the prestige of adulthood yet disassociating them from childhood. The intersecting nature of their perceived identities hinders their access to humanitarian assistance targeted specifically to children or adults, since they are not recognized as clearly belonging to either group. The use of the term “child mother” effectively penalizes young women for engaging in adult (sexual) behaviour, while denying them the adult status that mothers are normally accorded. This article argues that sustainable post-conflict reconstruction, with efficient access to and use of humanitarian assistance, demands insitutional adoption of contextually inclusive language that recognizes young women’s professed identities and is reflective of local experiences and realities.

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“…African countries are known for their unequal division of wealth, with the luxuriously rich and the poor with scarce possessions living in the same country (Taremwa, 2017). Currently, the percentage of people living in poverty in Uganda is 19.7%, (Namuggala, 2017a). The Government is attempting to tackle poverty and unemployment, yet new interventions are needed in order to assist the young into employment (Taremwa, op.cit.…”

Section: Unemployment Amongst the Youngmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Uganda has the highest percentage of young people in East Africa, with approximately 80 percent of the population aged under 35 (Awiti, 2016). In sub-Saharan countries, unemployment amongst the young is a severe issue (Namuggala, 2017a;Nuwagaba, 2012;Taremwa, 2017). Primary causes for such high unemployment rate are inadequate investment in creating jobs and unsuitable skills for employment (Taremwa, op.cit.).…”

Section: Unemployment Amongst the Youngmentioning

confidence: 99%

Music education as a means to enhance the perceived sense of social inclusion and to empower the young through increased employment in Eastern Uganda

Tettey

2019

JOSI

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Uganda has a rich culture in music, with musical skills having traditionally been passed down orally from one generation to the next. In school, music as a subject is featured in the National Curriculum; however, its teaching varies widely from school to school. Yet, due to music playing a vital role in the culture, musical activities take place daily and musicians are regularly needed in events. Engaging in musical activities could potentially empower young Ugandans and help them with feeling socially included in their communities. The current study aimed to investigate whether music education could potentially be used as a tool to empower young people through an enhanced sense of social inclusion. In total, 125 locals in the Eastern part of Uganda participated in the study. In the first phase, 125 participants completed a survey and, in the second phase 30 participants were randomly chosen for in-depth interviews. A mixed-method approach was adapted. The findings provide evidence for a much needed enhanced musical training, consequently providing the young with employable skills. The findings further indicate that being musically active in one’s community can potentially enhance feelings of social inclusion and belonging amongst young Ugandans. In the long term, improved music education in schools could result in increased feelings of belonging and wellbeing amongst the young in rural parts of Uganda.

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Childhood, Youth Identity, and Violence in Formerly Displaced Communities in Uganda

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Militarization of childhood(s) in Donbas: ‘Growing together with the Republic’

Militarization of childhood(s) in Donbas: ‘Growing together with the Republic’

Language Variances in Defining Young Women in Northern Uganda Humanitarian Settings

Music education as a means to enhance the perceived sense of social inclusion and to empower the young through increased employment in Eastern Uganda

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