The aim of this PhD research is twofold. First, we want to gain more insight into the discourses civilians living in local communities in Northern Uganda narrate about the war: How did their life look like at that time and how have they experienced the war? However, more important is how communities are doing nowadays. How did their life change after the war and how are they trying to rebuild their lives and community after being displaced for many years? Special attention will be paid to the different vulnerable groups of people in the community like disabled people, orphans and former child soldiers. Second, we focus specifically on the reintegration process of former child soldiers. We want to learn more about how community members are talking about them and how these narratives are interwoven with the life stories of former child soldiers themselves.
We aim to conduct a longitudinal follow-up of all participants for a period of three years, to see how peoples’ lives, their experiences and perceptions are changing over time.