In conflict and post-conflict situations, youth constitute a reservoir of energy. Some young people choose to fight or are forced into a life of violence.  Others  are able to work to improve their communities, contribute to peacebuilding, reconciliation and reconstruction,  and become invested in their countries’ future peace. Youth and Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Agents of Change uses three cases of post-conflict reconstruction—Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kosovo—to explore how youth affect the post-conflict reconstruction process, and how domestic policy, NGO programming, international interventions, and cultural contexts may change that role.

“An ambitious and detailed study of a vitally important issue, this book offers significant insights about youth in conflict. Timely and very well written, Schwartz has successfully synthesized a number of different variables, theories, cases, and policy areas, into a compelling and useful analysis. This book will be of interest to students, scholars, NGO personnel and policymakers worldwide.”

—Siobhan McEvoy-Levy, Associate Professor, Dept. Political Science and Director, Peace Studies Program at Butler University

Although much has been written about cases of children as soldiers and slaves in recent conflicts, these cases are but one example of the impact of conflict on a subset of the youth population. In Youth and Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Agents of Change, Stephanie Schwartz goes beyond these highly publicized cases and examines the roles of the broader youth population in post-conflict scenarios, taking on the complex task of distinguishing between the legal and societal labels of “child,” “youth,” and “adult.”

In the post-conflict population, youth constitute a reservoir brimming with potential energy, ready to be channeled for good or ill. What causes some young people to return to the life of a fighter while others choose to work for a better future? And what can domestic and international actors do to help youth move toward an education, work to support their families, and become active contributors to building peace and reconstructing their countries?

Youth and Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Agents of Change uses three cases of post-conflict reconstruction—Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kosovo—to explore how youth affect the post-conflict reconstruction process, and how domestic policy, NGO programming, international interventions, and cultural contexts may change that role. The hypotheses drawn from these comparisons will be useful both in guiding future research on youth’s role in post-conflict reconstruction and in helping reconstruction actors facilitate the youth population’s transition from war to peace.

Related Publications

What’s the State of Play on the Global Fragility Act?

What’s the State of Play on the Global Fragility Act?

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

By: Corinne Graff, Ph.D.

The White House’s recent release of 10-year stabilization and conflict prevention plans marks another milestone in U.S. efforts to implement the closely watched Global Fragility Act (GFA). The legislation received bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress before being signed into law by then President Donald Trump in 2019. It requires the U.S. government to develop a strategy for preventing the drivers of violent conflict and extremism, and to test a more coordinated, cost-effective and sustained U.S. approach in hot spots around the world.

Type: Analysis

Fragility & Resilience

Leverage the Private Sector for a Durable Peace in Northern Mozambique

Leverage the Private Sector for a Durable Peace in Northern Mozambique

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

By: Edward A. Burrier

The Biden administration has a full agenda planned for African heads of state arriving for the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington next week. While much of the summit will focus on economic development, peace and security challenges exist throughout Africa. One area where concerted leadership on both fronts could make a real difference is in northern Mozambique, where an African-led regional intervention has helped to stem — but not quell — an insurgency that has ravaged Mozambique’s resource-rich Cabo Delgado province.

Type: Analysis

EconomicsConflict Analysis & Prevention

Regional Security Support: A Vital First Step for Peace in Mozambique

Regional Security Support: A Vital First Step for Peace in Mozambique

Thursday, June 23, 2022

By: Andrew Cheatham;  Amanda Long;  Thomas P. Sheehy

Over the last year, Mozambique has seen a marked improvement in security conditions in its troubled Cabo Delgado region. The military intervention of Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states and Rwanda has disrupted an Islamist insurgency that emerged in 2017 and has since inflicted an enormous toll on the region. Security in key areas of Cabo Delgado and neighboring provinces has stabilized, giving the Mozambican government — and its international backers — an opportunity to foster reconciliation leading to an enduring peace. The Mozambican government should immediately take advantage of this exceptional regional commitment, which won’t last forever.

Type: Analysis

Justice, Security & Rule of Law

New U.S. Plan to Address Conflict Could Boost Mozambique’s Gains

New U.S. Plan to Address Conflict Could Boost Mozambique’s Gains

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

By: Edward A. Burrier

Since 2017, an Islamist insurgency has terrorized Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado. Known locally as al-Shabaab, the group has committed heinous acts like beheadings, abducting children and destroying schools and hospitals, leading to a humanitarian disaster and over a million displaced Mozambicans. The violence has also threatened the development of natural gas fields that would strengthen the country’s suffering economy. Fortunately, the militants are now on their back foot after Mozambique’s neighbors sent troops in July 2021 to counter the ISIS-linked group. But the region’s problems are deep-seated and will require sustained engagement to stave off further violence and advance peace. Last Friday, the United States signaled it was prepared for such a commitment to Mozambique.

Type: Analysis

Fragility & Resilience

View All Publications