Children and War: Cultures of Mistrust and the Moral Economy of Care

Abstract

In this paper I examine the plight of children who have experienced war and seek protection by crossing international borders. I argue that these asylum seeking children routinely face a prevalent culture of mistrust manifest in various attitudes and practices: child specific forms of persecution are not recognised, age is disputed and the acceptance rates for refugee status is relatively low compared to adults. Within this context, children may achieve a degree of legitimacy and protection under humanitarian provisions but in severely circumscribed contexts. Overwhelmingly children affected by war are either rejected and excluded from host societies or embedded in discourses of vulnerability and mental ill-health.