Brian K. Barber (ed): Adolescents and War: How Youth Deal with Political Violence

In Adolescents and War: How Youth Deal with Political Violence, Brian K. Barber and his colleagues offer data from numerous research studies that delve into the topic of the effects that political violence has on the youth involved. Barber begins the book by noting that “countless thousands of youth confront the ravages of war and political violence” (p. 3). In 13 chapters, the authors discuss how those youth are involved and how they are affected. There has been little research done on this topic, and Barber and his colleagues are to be commended for putting together what little research has been done into a book that can help readers understand the sufferings of youth involved in political violence. Adolescents and War thoroughly discusses many aspects of youth and political violence, such as child soldiers and combatants, and even gives an instance of teenage girls being used as suicide bombers. The text provides a great deal of research and information crucial to understanding how political violence affects those who are the future leaders of their societies. …