ブックタイトル佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

概要

佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

第25回優秀賞sense of justice but also to psychological‘wellness’among young people (Evans andPrilleltensky 2007; Harre 2007). Involving them further in the democratic processes isone way that the positive effects of these shifts can be maximized. While youth maybe a socially constructed category that varies in its definition from society to society,it is always a condition of‘becoming’, of transition from childhood to adulthood, andtherefore always retains an aspect of potential for wider transformative power.The role of youth in peace building after civil conflictAmid the tragic civil wars in places like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, and in theCongo Basin that have come to dominate international media coverage of Africa, therole of young people has received particular attention. From horrific stories on the useof child soldiers, to images of young men brandishing machine guns and terrorizingtheir communities, young people appear as either victims or perpetrators. Studieshave shown that one of the major reasons young people get involved in conflict isbecause they want to become politically active, and fighting in civil conflict representsa path to perceived maturity where other options for political engagement are notavailable. Another reason is simply to escape poverty (IRIN 2007). But as well asbeing one of the most vulnerable groups, as both targets and participants in timesof conflict and immediate post-conflict, young people also offer the greatest potentialfor reconciliation and for rebuilding societies that have suffered civil wars (Mac-Ikemenjima 2008). If one of the greatest barriers to generating prosperity is politicalinstability, then directing the enthusiasm and energy of youth into ensuring longterm stable political environments and sustainable development is vital for combatingpoverty.707