Abstract
Abstract Life course criminologists seldom examine the role of macro-level sociohistorical contexts—particularly those of extreme social ferment (e.g. war and genocide)—in shaping developmental pathways. Such contexts catalyze key life turning points, impose significant constraints on identity resources and shape investments in particular social discourses and practices. To illustrate, we analyze the life history of Omar, a former child soldier from the war and genocide in Bosnia (1992–5), and self-professed violent ‘criminal’. Omar’s life history reveals limited opportunities and identity resources attendant to the war, which prompted his investment in discourses of masculinity that espouse violence as the primary means of proving manhood. These findings enrich our understanding of the link between sociohistorical context and individual adaptation.
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