The ubiquitous figure of the child soldier

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Over the past two decades, African child soldiers have emerged as a significant focus in media and literature. In various narrative forms, including testimony, fiction, and film, the figure of the war child has become a powerful trope with diverse meanings. African and Afrodiasporic authors and filmmakers, drawing from different regions, employ unique narrative and visual strategies to portray child soldiers, contributing to an alternative discourse that challenges Western mainstream portrayals. This collection features interviews with academic teachers, scholars, writers, filmmakers, journalists, and readers from Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and diasporic locations, who have engaged with the subject creatively and analytically. The discussions reveal African perspectives on the literary and cinematic representations of child soldiers, highlighting the complexities and social urgency of addressing the aftermath of wars and collective trauma. The conversations also navigate the challenge of depicting the realities of child soldiers without reinforcing stereotypes or commodifying their experiences. The book includes a comprehensive bibliography of the extensive literature and film related to the African child soldier, featuring contributions from various notable authors and scholars.