n Acta Criminologica: Southern African Journal of Criminology - Long Road Home : Building Reconciliation and Trust in Post-War Sierra Leone, Laura Stovel : book review

Abstract

The history of the world often recounts the delicate balance between war and peace, telling and re-telling the tales of formation and reformation that have repeatedly redefined societies. Indeed, the underlying existential journey of contemporary historical studies continually demand that researchers seek out fleeting answers to questions such as : "who are we?" and "what do we want?" The quest for national consensus on these pivotal inquires has resulted in a trend of conflicts that span Africa. In this vein, the 1991-2002 Sierra Leonean war resulted in extreme acts of violence against civilians by non-military combatants. Given these circumstances, the integration of ex-combatants after the war has been a challenge for post-war Sierra Leone. Laura Stovel's text explores these dynamics, focusing her research on the tenuous nature of reconciliation and trust in the country.