Abstract
The aftermath of war is typically referred to as ‘post-conflict’, often insinuating a stage of relative calm following a period of armed violence, upheaval and strife. However, the assumption that the post-war context brings forth peace, prosperity and stability negates the reality that conflict, violence and poverty may become embedded in the post-war social fabric. Following its decade long civil war, Sierra Leone continues to contend with a political, social and economic reality marked by widespread poverty, violence, and devastated health and social service systems, highlighting that for many, ‘crisis’ has in fact become chronic and endemic in the post-war period. Drawing on interviews with 11 former child soldiers living in an urban settlement, this article underscores the blurred distinction between periods of war and peace. Moreover, using the concept of social navigation, the paper explores the strategies the youth deliberately and tactfully employed in negotiating a volatile post-conflict terrain. Their narratives reveal their active, rather than passive, efforts in fostering their own social, economic and physical wellbeing in light of ever-changing, and unstable circumstances.
Highlights
For those living in contexts of affluence and security, ‘crisis’ is normally understood as a temporary condition linked to a devastating event whether the loss of a family member, a sexual trauma, a physical assault or a natural disaster (Scheper-Hughes 2008)
The aftermath of war is typically referred to as ‘post-conflict’, often insinuating a stage of relative calm following a period of armed violence, upheaval and strife
The assumption that the post-war context brings forth peace, prosperity and stability negates the reality that conflict, violence and poverty may become embedded in the post-war social fabric
Summary
For those living in contexts of affluence and security, ‘crisis’ is normally understood as a temporary condition linked to a devastating event whether the loss of a family member, a sexual trauma, a physical assault or a natural disaster (Scheper-Hughes 2008). The prevalence of malnutrition among children aged five and under has not witnessed a significant improvement since the pre-war era While this figure stood at 25% in 1990 and 2000, it only decreased marginally to 21% in 2008 (World Bank 2011). Art. 45, page 3 of 18 local social workers have expressed concern that rape and other forms of sexual violence have become a salient feature of the postwar period (IRIN 2009) These are but a few examples of the embedded post-war ‘crisis/ chronicity’ affecting the everyday lives of many Sierra Leoneans
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