The Peacebuilding & Development Institute (PDI) at American University is 
hosting a unique conference in partnership with the Woodrow Wilson Center 
that will bring together practitioners, students, and youth from conflict 
zones in various parts of the world to discuss innovative ideas about 
youth issues in conflict and disaster areas. 

This conference will provide an opportunity for 
- Youth in conflict zones to have the opportunity to participate in 
discussions about their future with practitioners who implement policies 
that affect them. 
- University students doing research on the subject who do not have 
a platform to be heard have their work published.
- Practitioners/NGOs who work with young people and are looking for 
an opportunity to mentor and guide youth in writing and presenting their 
work.

This program is an exciting opportunity to develop a community of current 
and future practitioners from the US and abroad to work together. 

Accepted papers will be presented during the conference as well as 
published afterwards.  Papers do not need to be in publishable form before 
submitting as they will be worked on during and after the conference.  A 
panel of professionals including Jane Lowicki, Susan Shepler, Rachel 
Stohl, Michael Wessells, and Randolph Carter will review the submitted 
papers.  Abstracts (2-3 pages) are due April 14th.

Please forward this information to students, professors, practitioners, or 
other interested parties at your discretion.  Email 
[log in to unmask]  if you have questions.  Thank you!


Call for Papers
Conference on Youth and Conflict, May 15-16, 2006
Organized by the Peacebuilding & Development Institute at American 
University. Washington, DC
Co-sponsored by the Wilson Center's Project on Leadership and Building 
State Capacity

In conflict and disaster areas, youth are burdened with increasing 
responsibility in their community while receiving little support or 
recognition from adults.  In such situations, young people are faced with 
difficult choices in their struggle to survive and often mobilize 
themselves in a variety of ways.  And therefore, these dynamic situations 
reflect the strengths and abilities that young people possess and are 
faced with on a daily basis.  Their actions are being recognized, 
increasingly, by practitioners today, but are not thoroughly incorporated 
into the mainstream discussions. 

This call for papers will provide a platform to expand the dialogue to 
include old and new approaches to youth issues in conflict zones. It will 
also provide opportunities for the next generation of scholars and 
practitioners to think critically about this field. The subsequent 
conference will be a unique opportunity to present recent work and to 
discuss current ideas and research on youth and conflict, especially by 
students and young people.


Topics of interest for submission include:

- Youth and violence: 
* How and why are young people pulled into conflict?
* Why do most young people choose not to get involved in armed conflict or 
engage in violence?

- Youth Contributions to Peacebuilding: 
* In what ways have young people responded constructively to conflict?
* What have youth groups or dynamic young individuals done to promote peace in 
conflict zones and what could be done in the future? (at geopolitical, intra-
community, family, and inter-personal levels)

- Relationship between Conflict and Youth: 
* How do the following factors force young people into conflict and how are 
these factors exacerbated by conflict? 
1.      Youth livelihood
2.      Separation from Family and Loss of Parents
3.      Disruption or Lack of Education 
4.      Poor Health 
5.      Displacement 
6.      Gender-based violence

- Relationship between Policy and Practice: 
* International norms and practice relating to youth as they contribute to or 
influence conflict:
1.      Domestic abuse
2.      Trafficking of youth and vulnerable populations
3.      Labor Exploitation
4.      Political Violence
5.      Legal Protection of Young People in Conflict Zones

Please send a 2-3 page abstract to [log in to unmask] . Include the 
contact information cover sheet that is found on our website. The deadline 
for the abstract is Friday April 14, 2006.  PDI will contact approved 
applicants for full papers.  Papers will be edited and revised for 
publication following feedback from the conference.

Research papers submitted should be original contributions.  Please 
clearly indicate if the work is under consideration by another publisher. 
Submissions will be read by 2-3 outside reviewers. The following types of 
submissions will be considered: 

1) Critical case studies, or 
2) Thematic discussion and analysis of topics listed above. 

There is a 15-20 page maximum, including references and endnotes.

All selected papers and presentations at the conference will be compiled 
into an edited volume for publication.

Please contact Saji Prelis at PDI at 1-202-885-2014 or 1-202-885-2112 with 
questions.

The Peacebuilding & Development Institute (PDI) provides cutting-edge 
training, research, and capacity-building opportunities in the fields of 
development, humanitarian assistance, diplomacy, and conflict resolution.

For more information about PDI visit: 
http://www.american.edu/sis/peacebuilding

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