The Militarization of Youth in Violently Divided Societies: Observations on Northern Ireland, the Middle East, and South Africa

The ability of both state and non-state actors to engage in armed conflict depends largely on their ability to recruit. As conflicts continue over time, armed groups rely on a continuing supply of young recruits. Recent studies have focused on the lack of compliance with age limits on recruitment, as set by international law, and the exploitation of children as child soldiers. Arguably more important, however, is the contribution of young combatants to the political dynamics of conflict, particularly the relationship between the military leadership and young combatants.

Little attention has been paid to the role of young combatants in peace processes and settlements. Analysts have focused on less relevant individualistic factors, such as the psychological profile of a particular leader, in an attempt to assess the leader's reliability or trustworthiness. However, an armed group's ability to control its young soldiers is central to the ability of that group's political and military leaders to uphold agreements and implement cease-fires…

Marie Smyth is a Senior Fellow at Jennings Randolph Program at the U.S. Institute of Peace and is on the academic staff at the University of Ulster and teaches at Smith College.