New environments & altering lifestyles The role of social capital in the reintegration and rehabilitation processes of former child soldiers in the urban environment of Uganda’s capital city Kampala

Abstract

The conflict that has been raging in Uganda is known for several unique dynamics that greatly influence the reintegration processes of former child combatants. As Uganda’s civil war has never involved the entire country, the capital city has been virtually untouched by the conflict. Besides that, there can be seen major social, cultural, and economic differences between the region affected by the conflict and the rest of the country and especially the capital city. A consequence appears to be a reasonable number of former combatants that are leaving their affected home counties to reintegrate into the far-away and unknown of Uganda’s capital city. This has considerable influence on the reintegration processes and post-conflict daily life of former combatants. Contemporarily it is however increasingly recognized that past researches have failed to adequately consider and incorporate children’s experiences and perceptions of reintegration-processes, and also those of the receiving communities. Besides that, there is virtually no research on the effect of an urban environment on reintegration. Informed by this apparent void, the aim of my thesis is to give insight in the characteristics of the phenomenon of reintegration of child soldiers into the urban environment of Uganda’s capital city. This is done by coming to an understanding of what motivations lie behind reintegration in Kampala; how the phenomenon practically occurs; where/in what environment the children end up; and which factors are helping and hampering the reintegration and rehabilitation processes in Kampala.