Is it Possible to Morally Distinguish Child Soldiers From Adult Soldiers?

A Normative Approach on Innocence and Guilt in Modern Warfare

Akademische Arbeit , 2018 , 11 Seiten , Note: 8,5 (Niederländisches System)

Politik - Allgemeines und Theorien zur Internationalen Politik

This paper tries to shed light on the discussion of moral distinction betwenn child soldiers and adult soldiers, as well as combatans and non-combatans.

The presence of armed children in war zones has become a sad reality in contemporary conflicts all around the world. Many non-governmental armed forces would not even be able to participate in war without recruiting children. However, strategies to cope with the situation lack sufficient definitions of where to draw the line between soldier and child. Does it include those children who are actively taking part in armed conflicts? Or do children -similar to adult soldiers - lose their immunity as soon as they take up arms? While there are numerous legal and theoretical attempts on the rights and duties of adult soldiers
the contemporary issue of child soldiers seems to challenge these thoughts. This is because our general moral intuition understands children as vulnerable beings in need of protection. The image, however, is diametrically opposed to armed juveniles on the battlefield and thus creates a moral dilemma.

Therefore, the author argues that no clear cut distinction between combatants and non-combatants and further between children and adults can be made. To substantiat her claim, she will approach the issue from its theoretical basis by having a closer look on depicted definitions first and from its feasibility in war second. Based on her findings, she claims that it is not possible to make a clear cut distinction and thus that there are good reasons to treat child soldiers no different than regular combatants. In the following conclusion she will briefly suggest additional guidelines to provide a more thoughtful and secure framework for every soldier- child and adult - on the battlefield.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• What makes a child a child? What defines a soldier? - Definition problems
• Feasibility on the Battlefield

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This research paper aims to examine the moral distinction between child soldiers and adult soldiers in the context of modern warfare. It argues that a clear-cut distinction cannot be made, and thus suggests that child soldiers should not be treated differently from regular combatants.

• The definition of childhood and adulthood in relation to moral responsibility
• The difficulty in classifying child soldiers as combatants or non-combatants
• The ethical implications of treating child soldiers differently on the battlefield
• The role of international law and social perceptions in shaping our understanding of child soldiers
• The need for a more nuanced approach to the issue of child soldiers in warfare

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• What makes a child a child? What defines a soldier? - Definition problems

  This chapter explores the complexities of defining childhood and adulthood, highlighting the challenges in establishing a clear-cut distinction between these categories. It examines various perspectives, including those that view childhood as a socially constructed label and those that see it as a period of inherent immaturity. The chapter also explores the difficulties in defining combatants and non-combatants in warfare, acknowledging that these categories are often blurred and subject to interpretation.

• Feasibility on the Battlefield

  This chapter delves into the moral dilemmas encountered by adult soldiers facing child combatants. It examines the challenges of reconciling the innocence of children with their participation in warfare, considering the perspectives of the adult soldier, the recruiter, and the child themselves. The chapter highlights the difficulties in applying a consistent moral framework to the situation, arguing that treating child soldiers differently on the battlefield might be both impractical and morally problematic.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords of this research paper include child soldiers, modern warfare, moral responsibility, definition problems, combatant, non-combatant, just war theory, international law, social construction, and moral dilemmas.

• Hochschule: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
• Veranstaltung: Theories of International Relations
• Note: 8,5 (Niederländisches System)
• Autor: Elena Mertel (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2018
• Seiten: 11
• Katalognummer: V498137
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346015662
• ISBN (Buch): 9783346015679
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: Walzer, Normative Theory, Just War, Just War Theory, Modern Warfare, Moral Dilemma, soldiers, child soldiers, guilt, innocence, political Theory, IR