Manhood, money and survival

Rethinking child soldiers in Somalia

Bibliographic Data

ID7515568
AuthorsFrancesca Baldwin (University of Exeter, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume64
Publication date2026-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Modern African Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-278X • E-ISSN: 1469-7777
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0022278x26101281
OpenAlexW7133791614
LanguageEN
References cited29

Somalia today stands as one of the most persistent contexts of child soldier recruitment and use globally. The emergence of the Islamic militant group Al Shabaab has intensified fears about the insecurity of – and threat posed by – children as agents of war in Somalia. This article contextualises Al-Shabaab’s recruitment and use of children within its specific historical, political and cultural dimensions, challenging the emphasis in terrorism studies on the ‘unique’ phenomenon of children in extremist groups and relating the pathways of youth in Al-Shabaab with wider trends in criminality and violence, including piracy. This research responds to the need for deeper analysis of Somalia’s history of youth mobilisation that considers the specific constructions of age and masculinity that have influenced the participation of young people in diverse armed groups

Islam · Masculinity · Militant · Phenomenon · Politics · Terrorism · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

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