Peer-reviewed article
Living apart together: child participation in the context of peace process theory and practice
Seán Molloy ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed article discusses how children can be included in peace processes and peace-building work. It argues that current approaches to child participation in peace efforts are not well connected to the broader field of peace research. The authors propose using Complexity Theory as a framework to better understand and support meaningful child involvement in peacebuilding.
Key points
- Child participation in peace processes is growing but remains disconnected from established peace process research
- Current models of child participation tend to be static and linear
- Complexity Theory is proposed as a framework to reconceptualize child participation
- The approach can identify both barriers to and opportunities for meaningful child engagement
- Better alignment with evolving peace studies practices is needed
Limitations
This is a theoretical paper proposing a framework rather than evaluating outcomes for children. It does not provide empirical evidence about what actually improves child well-being or participation effectiveness.
Abstract
Child participation in peace processes is receiving growing attention, but remains largely disconnected from the broader, more established field of peace process research. This article argues that for efforts to support child involvement to be effective, they must be grounded in wider peacebuilding discourse. It proposes using Complexity Theory to reconceptualize child participation, moving beyond static, linear models. This approach can help identify both barriers to and opportunities for meaningful child engagement, aligning with evolving practices in peace studies.