The Politics Of Child Soldiers

The Politics of Child Soldiers
By Jason Hart
March 25th, 2010

1. Explanation of his Thinking
The article The Politics of Child Soldiers by Dr. Jason Hart discusses the upsurge of
interest from various sectors concerning the alleged association of children with military
groups globally. According to the author, a number of research papers have been
released assuming that the recruitmentof children is a growing global problem despite
scant evidence that support the claim. The author makes references to the book Armies
of the Young: Child Soldiers in War and Terrorism, by David M. Rosen, and the issues it
raised.
Hart reminds us that high-level advocacy and public awareness activities are thus not
only ways to address recruitment, but also occasions to encourage theattitudinal
change that is the underlying aim of those initiatives as a whole. He further notes that
the literature--both academic and humanitarian--not only points out that a military group
is no place for a child; it also takes the opportunity to assert the appropriate locations of
the childhood that all children should be able to enjoy.
He argues that as long as activists insist on understandingchild recruitment through a
narrow framework of neutral and impartial humanitarianism, the more ground they give
to those with a partisan political agenda. The language of humanitarianism concern, he
notes, provides a useful cover for the pursuit of political and military aims, calling for an
urgent call to reframe the debate about child soldiers. As he recognizes, there is a need
at theconceptual level, to move beyond debates around universalism versus cultural
relativism in order to fully engage with the realities of children’s experiences, shaped by
ideas, practices and power relations, locally and globally.
Hart questions the vision of childhood manifest in the CRC pointing out that it may only
have limited relevance for children who lack the social, economic, and politicalmeans to
implement this vision. He calls for a reframing of the debate on ‘child soldiers’ and
argues that activists work through a narrow framework of a neutral and impartial
humanitarianism giving more ground to those with a partisan political agenda; and thus
are not properly equipped to comprehend, let alone address the harsh realities faced
daily by children.
Following the universalistparadigm derived by Jean Piaget considering the capability of
children to engage in political issues and making a reasoned judgment with respect to
their involvement in armed action, Hart insists that the reality of adolescents growing up
in a highly politicized environment is very different, since their survival depends on
understanding and negotiating local power relations and violence ratherthan based on
making the ‘’right’’ choice. He thus demonstrates a constraint of universalist assumptions
and asserts that in order to effectively address the issue of child recruitment, advocates
need to acquire a deep understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and competencies of
children themselves. This does not mean that he supports the involvement of children in

military-typeactivity, but rather, suggests a combination of abhorrence and thorough
analysis of the multiple factors that give rise to said situations.
2. What is Applicable to my Research? A discussion on what is and isn’t
applicable to international childhoods and particularly to Colombia and/or Latin
America
Hart specifies that not all situations of child recruitment are identical which is often
ignored byauthors who readily shuffle quotes from children in one setting with those
from somewhere entirely different to build up a generic picture of child recruitment in
which the worst stands for all.
He further states that some of the reasons for children’s engagement in military groups
may relate to established local values and the responsibilities for defense of kin and
community placed upon...