Peacekeeping Experiences as Triggers of Introspection in the Ghanaian Military Barracks

IF 1.9 2区社会学 Q1 AREA STUDIES

Africa Spectrum Pub Date : 2020-04-01 DOI:10.1177/0002039720922868

H. Agyekum

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引用次数: 4

Abstract

African political elites have been forthcoming with military support for United Nations peacekeeping missions, contributing substantially to these missions’ workforce. Despite their contribution, most studies on peacekeeping omit the African soldier’s voice on his experiences of the African war theatre. This article features Ghanaian soldiers’ narratives based on their peacekeeping deployments and illuminates how Ghanaian peacekeepers connect their experiences to their home society. In this contribution, I illustrate how Ghanaian soldiers’ narratives about peacekeeping experiences are framed as deterring examples for their home society, thus potentially impacting their actions and behaviours. Based on long-term qualitative research embedded with the Ghanaian military, drawing from interviews and informal conversations with peacekeeping veterans and serving military operatives, it is argued that Ghanaian soldiers’ narratives of peacekeeping experiences and the collective processes through which these narratives gain currency in the barracks and beyond are informed by introspection in the post-peacekeeping deployment phase.

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加纳军营的维和经验引发反思

非洲政治精英愿意为联合国维持和平特派团提供军事支持，为这些特派团的工作人员作出了重大贡献。尽管他们做出了贡献，但大多数关于维和的研究都忽略了非洲士兵在非洲战区的经历。本文以加纳士兵的维和经历为特色，阐述了加纳维和人员如何将自己的经历与祖国社会联系起来。在这篇文章中，我说明了加纳士兵关于维和经历的叙述如何被框定为其本国社会的威慑榜样，从而可能影响他们的行动和行为。基于对加纳军队的长期定性研究，从与维和退伍军人和现役军事行动人员的访谈和非正式谈话中得出结论，认为加纳士兵对维和经历的叙述以及这些叙述在军营内外获得传播的集体过程，是通过维和后部署阶段的内省得到的。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Africa Spectrum AREA STUDIES-

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

10.00%

发文量

审稿时长

6 weeks

期刊介绍： Africa Spectrum is a peer-reviewed, Open Access journal published since 1966 by the GIGA Institute of African Affairs (IAA) in Hamburg. It is a multidisciplinary journal dedicated to scientific exchange between the continents. It focuses on socially relevant issues related to political, economic, and sociocultural problems and events in Africa, as well as on Africa''s role within the international system. There are no article processing charges payable to publish in Africa Spectrum. For more than five decades, Africa Spectrum has provided in-depth analyses of current issues in political, social, and economic life; culture; and development in sub-Saharan Africa, including historical studies that illuminate current events on the continent. Africa Spectrum is the leading German academic journal exclusively devoted to this continent and is part of the GIGA Journal Family. The journal accepts Research Articles, Analyses and Reports as well as Book Reviews. It also publishes special issues devoted to particular subjects.