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A World Turned Upside Down: Social Ecological Approaches to Children in War Zones
* Authors with wide-ranging experience with children in war zones across the globe
* Looks at the psychology of children’s experiences in conflict in the context of their families and communities
A World Turned Upside Down looks at the experiences of children in war from a psychological and social ecological perspective, offering thoughtful observations and dispelling myths about what results when children grow up in conflict situations.
In contrast to individualized approaches, the volume offers a deeper conceptualization that shows the socially mediated impacts of war. Children exposed to the same traumatic experiences may have different reactions and needs for psychosocial support. Further, psychosocial assistance to war-affected children often occurs not through the provision of therapy by outsiders but via support from insiders.
Each contributor has worked extensively with children in war zones in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. They refrain from common perceptions of children as victims of war-induced trauma to provide a holistic understanding of children’s experiences. Each helps pinpoint ways to reduce further violence, foster well-being and nurture the kinds of social connections that can liberate children from the pathologies of war so that they can mature into healthy and well-adjusted adults.
Other Alastair Ager, Cairo Arafat, Catherine Chen, Amy E. Hepburn, Kathleen Kostelny, Siobhán McEvoy-Levy, Susan McKay, Dahab Musleh and Carl Triplehorn
* Looks at the psychology of children’s experiences in conflict in the context of their families and communities
A World Turned Upside Down looks at the experiences of children in war from a psychological and social ecological perspective, offering thoughtful observations and dispelling myths about what results when children grow up in conflict situations.
In contrast to individualized approaches, the volume offers a deeper conceptualization that shows the socially mediated impacts of war. Children exposed to the same traumatic experiences may have different reactions and needs for psychosocial support. Further, psychosocial assistance to war-affected children often occurs not through the provision of therapy by outsiders but via support from insiders.
Each contributor has worked extensively with children in war zones in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. They refrain from common perceptions of children as victims of war-induced trauma to provide a holistic understanding of children’s experiences. Each helps pinpoint ways to reduce further violence, foster well-being and nurture the kinds of social connections that can liberate children from the pathologies of war so that they can mature into healthy and well-adjusted adults.
Other Alastair Ager, Cairo Arafat, Catherine Chen, Amy E. Hepburn, Kathleen Kostelny, Siobhán McEvoy-Levy, Susan McKay, Dahab Musleh and Carl Triplehorn
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2006
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March 10, 2017
Revealing the Vulnerability of Children in World Conflict
An excellent series of essays by fieldworkers and program administrators relating to remedial actions towards children caught up in war zones with numerous examples and relevant citations. Areas of conflict discussed include Mozambique, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Uganda and the Congo, the Palestinian Territories, Israel, Bosnia, Cambodia, Columbia, Ireland, Rwanda, and the Sudan, The spectrum of the causes of trauma is well laid out including voluntary separation (parents sending their children to safety), separation from family, loss of parents to abduction and recruitment of child soldiers. In general most of the examples show remarkable resilience on the part of the children - an improvement in the coverage might have been more cautionary notes, as was sounded in the essay "When Former Child Soldiers Grow Up."
One outstanding essay is on the role of family by Alistair Ager and another by Amy Hepburn covers not just conventional families but substitute families such as groups of children bonding together for support and adoptive communities. Susan McKay's essay "Girlhood Stolen" considers the special problems of female children including rape camps, becoming mothers, girls as soldiers and labels of impurity. Neil Boothby's essay (he's one of editors) on the long term impact of being a child soldier reminds us that there are still problems to solve long after the conflict is over and that not only are all victims not mended, some may be the cause of future strife. Michael Wessel's essay "A living wage" points out that reintegration requires that the fhat the child be not only reunited with community, but productively so, and that non victims should not be positioned to be resentful of the special treatment that victims may receive.
The essay "Religion as Resource and Risk" started off poorly (IMHO) by beginning to be an academic polemic against religion in general but changed direction to point out the comforting effect of faith and ritual and their necessary role in reintegration of children back into their local communities..
Since World Peace is unlikely to break out soon these problems will be with us for a long time to come. Overall it is a very good collection with many interesting insights. Recommended on its own merits and as a start point for reading on other issues such as the rehabilitation of children during and after war and issues relating to child soldiers.
An excellent series of essays by fieldworkers and program administrators relating to remedial actions towards children caught up in war zones with numerous examples and relevant citations. Areas of conflict discussed include Mozambique, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Uganda and the Congo, the Palestinian Territories, Israel, Bosnia, Cambodia, Columbia, Ireland, Rwanda, and the Sudan, The spectrum of the causes of trauma is well laid out including voluntary separation (parents sending their children to safety), separation from family, loss of parents to abduction and recruitment of child soldiers. In general most of the examples show remarkable resilience on the part of the children - an improvement in the coverage might have been more cautionary notes, as was sounded in the essay "When Former Child Soldiers Grow Up."
One outstanding essay is on the role of family by Alistair Ager and another by Amy Hepburn covers not just conventional families but substitute families such as groups of children bonding together for support and adoptive communities. Susan McKay's essay "Girlhood Stolen" considers the special problems of female children including rape camps, becoming mothers, girls as soldiers and labels of impurity. Neil Boothby's essay (he's one of editors) on the long term impact of being a child soldier reminds us that there are still problems to solve long after the conflict is over and that not only are all victims not mended, some may be the cause of future strife. Michael Wessel's essay "A living wage" points out that reintegration requires that the fhat the child be not only reunited with community, but productively so, and that non victims should not be positioned to be resentful of the special treatment that victims may receive.
The essay "Religion as Resource and Risk" started off poorly (IMHO) by beginning to be an academic polemic against religion in general but changed direction to point out the comforting effect of faith and ritual and their necessary role in reintegration of children back into their local communities..
Since World Peace is unlikely to break out soon these problems will be with us for a long time to come. Overall it is a very good collection with many interesting insights. Recommended on its own merits and as a start point for reading on other issues such as the rehabilitation of children during and after war and issues relating to child soldiers.
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