Description
This paper explores experiences of war, displacement, and reintegration in Central Africa. It investigates the physical memories of war and the ways in which they shape experiences of displacement, of return and of reintegration. Specifically, it focuses on places, spaces, and bodies as central avenues through which war continues to be experienced after displacement and reintegration. The paper central argument suggests the physical illustrations of trauma that continue to be experienced offer key insights into youth postwar legacies. It frames displacement, return and reintegration as fundamentally lived experiences anchored in trauma reminders of conflict. The project utilises an interdisciplinary methodological approach anchored in narrative research to bring individual histories of war, of displacement and of reintegration to the forefront of the academic enquiry. Through body-mapping and narrative interviewing, it demonstrates how these physical legacies challenge narratives of war to peace transition in Central Africa. Body mapping is an embodied research method that places research participants at the centre of data collection and knowledge creation. The paper also relies on narrative discussions conducted with 50 youth in the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo to provide thematic insights into experiences of displacement, trauma, and war. The resulting histories highlight the trauma imageries of war in Central Africa through their embodied illustrations.
