Peacekeeping experiences as triggers of introspection in the Ghanaian military barracks

The return of German soldiers of the Bundeswehr from Afghanistan in summer 2021 has triggered a new wave of media articles and interest in the broader implications for society as well as the potential trauma within the ranks of the deployed. But German soldiers abroad are still a rare occurrence. In most peacekeeping operations and therefore on a global scale the main troop-contributing countries are in fact located in what is called the Global South, frequently in Africa. But we know little about the assessment of missions by the peacekeepers themselves and most of this evidence is based solely on anecdotes. One striking exception is Humphrey Asamoah Agyekum’s contribution, reviewed in this ALMA blog. In his article the author develops “a post-deployment perspective” showing “how Ghanaian soldiers upon return to the safety and relative quiet of the barracks introspect on these experiences and observations, and translate these into narratives that are shared with others”.