This study investigates the role of youth in peacebuilding, and addresses the failure of states and existing research to recognise youths as political actors, which can result in their contribution to peacebuilding being ignored.

1. Introduction: Combatants, Troublemakers, Peacebuilders or What? 2. Processes of Mobilization 3. Experiences of Reintegration 4. Reconciliation Challenges 5. Liberia 6. Mindanao 7. The Positive Contributions of Youth to Peacebuilding

Professor Alpaslan Özerdem is Co-Director of the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, UK. He specialises in the politics of post-conflict reconstruction; reintegration of ex-combatants and peacebuilding. Professor Özerdem and Dr Podder are the editors of Child Soldiers: From Recruitment to Reintegration (Palgrave, 2011).
Sukanya Podder is Assistant Professor at the Centre for International Security and Resilience at Cranfield University, UK. Her research, advisory and consulting work is focused upon issues of post-conflict reconstruction; statebuilding; non-state armed groups; security sector reform and youth involvement in conflict and peacebuilding.