Description
It is well known that children and young people are drawn into conflict as fighters and soldiers and face unique challenges that shape their lives long after the war has ended. This paper focuses on the youth-to-adult transition of former child soldiers from the 1992-1995 conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We explore the influence of the legacy of Yugoslav militarism and the ‘Spirit of the Partisan Fighter’ in the motivations of young people to join the fighting, which contrasts with the motivations of child soldiers in more recent conflicts. Drawing on surveys, life history interviews, and collaging, we explore the legacy of the ‘Spirit of the Partisan Fighter’, the forced maturity of these former underage fighters in the transition from youth to adult and its impact on this group in the post-conflict era.
