Child Survivors of Genocide: Trauma, Resilience, and Identity in Guatemala

Child Survivors of Genocide: Trauma, Resilience, and Identity in Guatemala is a mixed-method, comparative ethnographic research with adult orphaned child survivors of Guatemala's 36-year internal armed conflict and heightened period of genocide from 1978 to 1983. The author examines the long-term consequences of their orphan status, including lasting trauma and a strong internalized sense of ethnic identity. They engage in creative and transformative practices that have contributed to their resilience and ability to adapt to their life circumstances. The experiences of child survivors offer inspiration for expanded research and warrant reconsideration of in-country residential care when other forms of loving, nurturing care are unavailable.

Format: Hardback
Length: 346 pages
Publication date: 15 July 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

Child Survivors of Genocide: Trauma, Resilience, and Identity in Guatemala is a comprehensive mixed-method, comparative ethnographic research that explores the lives of orphaned child survivors who have grown into adulthood. Conducted with these survivors, who were orphaned during Guatemala's 36-year internal armed conflict, particularly during the heightened period of genocide from 1978 to 1983, the study delves into the long-term consequences they have faced, encompassing not only the loss of their parents and family members but also the unique challenges associated with their orphan status. Despite enduring profound trauma, these child survivors have demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability, emerging as well-adjusted adults with a strong internalized sense of ethnic identity. Moreover, they engage in creative and transformative practices related to ethnic identity and belonging, which have played a significant role in their ability to adapt to their life circumstances in positive and constructive ways. Their experiences offer valuable insights and serve as a compelling justification for expanding research on child survivors as a distinct social group of survivors. Furthermore, they underscore the importance of reconsidering in-country residential care when alternative forms of loving and nurturing in-country care are unavailable.

Child Survivors of Genocide: Trauma, Resilience, and Identity in Guatemala is a comprehensive mixed-method, comparative ethnographic research that explores the lives of orphaned child survivors who have grown into adulthood. Conducted with these survivors, who were orphaned during Guatemala's 36-year internal armed conflict, particularly during the heightened period of genocide from 1978 to 1983, the study delves into the long-term consequences they have faced, encompassing not only the loss of their parents and family members but also the unique challenges associated with their orphan status. Despite enduring profound trauma, these child survivors have demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability, emerging as well-adjusted adults with a strong internalized sense of ethnic identity. Moreover, they engage in creative and transformative practices related to ethnic identity and belonging, which have played a significant role in their ability to adapt to their life circumstances in positive and constructive ways. Their experiences offer valuable insights and serve as a compelling justification for expanding research on child survivors as a distinct social group of survivors. Furthermore, they underscore the importance of reconsidering in-country residential care when alternative forms of loving and nurturing in-country care are unavailable.

Weight: 685g
Dimension: 229 x 158 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793602299