About

The objective of this seminar is to present the preliminary results of the research developed by PhD candidate Giovanna Ayres Paiva, in the framework of a research internship developed at CES under the supervision of Daniela Nascimento,  CES researcher.

Abstract

In this research, we argue that the discussion around the use of child-soldiers was based on some narratives. By "narratives", we refer to stories constructed, told and retold, with the aim of creating a "truth", a version of events, an argumentation of how events occurred. In this sense, we propose the hypothesis that the discussion about child-soldiers at the international level, especially since the 1990s, was built based on a dominant narrative that is supported by three pillars: colonialism, liberal thinking and a security perspective.

These three aspects form lines of argument that construct a narrative about child-soldiers since they influence the ways of seeing children themselves, the parts that use them, and the recruitment of child-soldiers on an international level. Moreover, the construction of a narrative about child-soldiers based on these three pillars strengthens the consolidation of a model of peace and development that instrumentalises the child-soldier as a problem of Global South Security and, consequently, legitimises and strengthens an already present model of global governance.

On the other hand, we also recognise that there is an answer to this narrative and attempts to construct other narratives that put postcolonial elements into the agenda. As a way of conducting our research, we will use a theoretical approach based on International Security Studies, postcolonialism, liberal peace and global governance, and Children and Armed Conflicts. In order to analyse the way in which these narratives were constructed, we will analyse the bibliography on child-soldiers, UN bodies and NGOs working on the theme.

Speaker: Giovanna Ayres Paiva (PhD Candidate in International Realtions, San Tiago Dantas, Unesp/Unicamp/Puc-Sp).
Comments: Carla Marcelino Gomes (researcher at the Centre for Human Rights of the Faculty of Law, University of Coimbra)
Moderator: Daniela Nascimento (CES/FEUC Researcher)