1st Edition
Who's Afraid of Children? Children, Conflict and International Relations
Brocklehurst's impressive work breaks new ground in normative international political theory. It develops a new theoretical framework which exposes how children are present in international relations and security practices using an empirical and comparative assessment of the role of children and youth in a range of conflicts including Nazi Germany, Mozambique, South Africa, Northern Ireland, the Cold War and the British Empire. The author argues powerfully that concepts of children are partial and 'contained' through their construction as non-political. Global in scope, this book is a timely and important contribution given the growing visibility of children in international relations evident after September 11. The political and ethical question at the heart of this book is: will international relations dare to catch up?
Biography
Helen Brocklehurst is Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Wales Swansea, UK.
'Who's Afraid of Children clearly and engagingly reveals how and why girls and boys should be taken very seriously if we are to grasp how and why global politics is taking its current path.' Cynthia Enloe, Clark University, USA '...engaging and accessible...Brocklehurst presents a compelling volume on a subject that does not receive the attention it warrants. The role of the child in conflict - and society in general - goes far beyond that of the child soldier.' Political Studies Review