Ex-Combatant & Veteran Policies and Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comparative Perspective
University of St Andrews, Scotland
25-27 April 2018
Funded by a Russell Trust Development Award
The Conference initiated an interdisciplinary Comparative Veterans’ Policy & Politics Research Group: Dr Jaremey McMullin (St Andrews), Dr Lalli Metsola (Helsinki), Dr Lennart Bolliger (Oxford), Dr Zoe Marks (Edinburgh), Dr Johanna Söderström (Uppsala), Dr John Spall (East Anglia), Dr Kim Wale (Stellenbosch), Dr Nikkie Wiegink (Utrecht), and Dr Nina Wilén (Brussels)
The Group also produced a multi-disciplinary bibliography of veterans’ research.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Thursday 26 April
Lalli Metsola (Helsinki), ‘Ex-combatants or veterans? Unpacking approaches to African conflict participants’
Zoe Marks (Edinburgh), ‘Wars Without Veterans’
Nikkie Wiegink (Utrecht), ‘The good, the bad and the awkward: the making of war veterans in post-independence Mozambique’
Lennart Bolliger (Oxford), ‘Apartheid “Loyalist” Veterans in Namibia and South Africa’
John Spall (East Anglia), ‘Politics Avoidance and MPLA Government Veterans in Angola’
Roundtable Discussion: Reintegration Program Components and International, National, and Local Practices {open session} Facilitated by Jaremey McMullin
Friday 27 April
Jaremey McMullin (St Andrews), ‘Why Compare Veterans? Theorizing Across Spatial and Temporal Boundaries’
Nina Wilén (Université Libre de Bruxelles), ‘The socio-political challenges facing South African veterans’ reintegration efforts’ [co-written with Prof Lindy Heinecken]
Kim Wale (Stellenbosch), ‘“Veteran” as a haunted category in memories of violence in South Africa’
Johanna Söderström (Bergen/Uppsala), ‘Being a veteran, being a citizen: identity construction after three wars’ [Colombia, Vietnam, Namibia]
Roundtable Discussion: Policy Implications and Future Research Directions {closed session} Facilitated by Lalli Metsola