Community Reconciliation and Post-Conflict Reconstruction for Peace

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to examine diverse methods of community reconciliation and peacebuilding following armed conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa. Recognizing that the study of community reconciliation is still in its formative stages and is dominated by Western approaches, I will present brief case studies from relatively non-Westernized contexts. Three case studies from Angola, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, respectively, emphasize reconciling formerly recruited young people, defined as people under 25 years of age, with communities in rural areas. The focus on young people is appropriate since they are increasingly influential political actors and fighters, yet they often receive little attention in post-conflict environments (Sommers 2005; Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children 2001). They often face significant challenges of reconciliation with communities, who may regard them as perpetrators. The focus on rural areas is valuable. Being far from the central government, they can be likely places of operation for spoilers or people who, frustrated by the poor performance of the government, take up arms to overthrow it. Although the case studies emphasize the importance of community empowerment and reliance on local cultural understandings and practices, they will also point out the value of constructive partnerships between Western psychology and local practices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)