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War and the Crisis of Youth in Sierra Leone

The book was highlighted for an honorable mention in the category of best book published on African politics in 2011 by the African Politics Conference Group (APCG) of the American Political Science Association (APSA).

The book is based on extensive primary data collection in Sierra Leone over a ten year period. Fieldwork was conducted in three phases: during and immediately after the war, and during the post-war reconstruction period. The book draws on interviews with nearly 60 RUF combatants, conducted after long periods of rapport building. Research also included focus group discussions, participant observation and multi-day field-trips with demobilised combatants; and further interviews with ex-combatants from other factions, civilians who lived under RUF control and NGO workers. The research was hazardous and both the fieldwork and writing were unusually time consuming.