Home Institution

Hampshire College

Publication Date

Spring 2009

Program Name

Uganda and Rwanda: Post Conflict Transformation

Abstract

After more than two decades of conflict and instability in Northern Uganda, there is finally relative peace. Now is the time of post-armed conflict transformation. The establishment of peace during this time will determine the direction of much of Uganda. Because youth were greatly affected by the conflict, they are particularly important to building a “culture of peace” (Interview with Mapenduzi, 18/4/2009). This study aims to explore the broad mechanisms of peace education and the role of youth in peace building using the case study of Gulu municipality. The research also utilizes key community representatives to examine the non-youth perspectives on the role of youth in peace building. The study was conducted over a period of twenty-eight days. Four formal interviews were conducted using semi-structured questions, three informal interviews were conducted with partial use of semi-structured questions, and one focus group of eleven youth ages eighteen to twenty-three was conducted using semi-structured interview questions. The research did not utilize a translator or assistant as the entirety of participants spoke English fluently. It is evident from the interviews that there are many ways to teach peace. Key community members in leadership positions are very supportive of peace education programs, but also have many creative ideas of new and different ways to improve or add to available youth activities. Funding is a major challenge to youth programs, but with more community voices sharing with one another and more donors and actors participating in implementation listening to those voices, there could be massive improvements to peace education in Gulu municipality to better function in this context.

Disciplines

Peace and Conflict Studies

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