Abstract
Focusing on the understudied area of women, religion, and peacebuilding, this essay offers the case study of Liberian mothers’ actions in the interreligious peace movement to address multiple forms of violence in the midst and aftermath of Liberian civil wars. This essay examines three forms of gender violence and their impact on the lives of Liberian women: (1) sexual violence, (2) forced mobilization of child soldiers, and (3) structural poverty. Afterwards, the essay explores the journey of Liberian mothers to peace and justice and analyzes the role of religion(s) in organizing and sustaining the mothers’ interreligious peace movement. Specifically, this essay highlights the concept of motherhood rooted in Pan-African religious traditions as a key moral resource to empower the mothers as peacebuilders and to foster restorative justice in their war-torn nation.
Highlights
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, there has been a flowering of interest in the intersection of religion, violence, and peacebuilding
I highlight the concept of motherhood rooted in Pan-African religious traditions as a key moral resource to empower ordinary mothers as peacebuilders and foster restorative justice in their war-torn society
Since freed African Americans founded Liberia in 1847, the country has suffered from social inequality and unequal distribution of wealth between social classes
Summary
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, there has been a flowering of interest in the intersection of religion, violence, and peacebuilding. There are a few exceptions that provide robust analyses of the role of women in peacebuilding (Manchanda 2001; Rehn and Sirleaf 2002; Anderlini 2007), but these studies have focused very little on the religious dimension of women’s peacebuilding.. There are a few exceptions that provide robust analyses of the role of women in peacebuilding (Manchanda 2001; Rehn and Sirleaf 2002; Anderlini 2007), but these studies have focused very little on the religious dimension of women’s peacebuilding.1 In other words, this emerging field has not seriously investigated historical examples of women’s creative use of religious-cultural ideologies, symbols, and practices for addressing violence and building justice and peace. The essay explores the journey of Liberian mothers toward peace and justice following three chronological phases: before, during, and after the peace talks It analyzes the role of religions in the Liberian mothers’ peace movement. I highlight the concept of motherhood rooted in Pan-African religious traditions as a key moral resource to empower ordinary mothers as peacebuilders and foster restorative justice in their war-torn society
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