Phenomenological Study on the Educational Component of the Formal Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration of Ex-Militants in Liberia

Phenomenological Study on the Educational Component of the Formal Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration of Ex-Militants in Liberia by John Tamba Wollie MA, American Military University, 2010 BS, Park University, 2008 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy & Administration Walden University June 2016 Abstract A significant number of Liberian ex-militants are unemployed and underemployed despite the job skills, formal education, and entrepreneurial training they received as participants in the Formal Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program that was established to reintegrate combatants into civilian society at the end of the two civil wars in Liberia in 2003. The purpose of this study was to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the vocational training offered by the DDR program. Informed by the theories of Human Capital, Peace Building, and Bronfrenbrenner, the research questions for this study assessed the benefits of the educational component of DDR. A phenomenological study design was employed with a purposeful sample of exmilitant participants that included 12 ex-militants and a focus group of 6-ex-militants drawn from the 12 who completed vocational training at the Monrovia Vocational Training Center in Monrovia (MVTC). All data were inductively coded and analyzed using a constant comparative method. Data analysis uncovered five textural themes: motivation for disarmament, hope to rebuild lives through vocational training, dissatisfaction with reintegration, perception of reintegration, and perception of future combat participation. Findings support human capital, peace building, and ecological systems theories in that ex-militants perceived the benefit of education in their transition to peacetime endeavor, but consider themselves only partially reintegrated since all consider themselves unemployed with no means to survive economically. This study is significant because it provides recommendations to policymakers on how such a program can improve the vocational training offered and provide follow-up life-skills counseling.A significant number of Liberian ex-militants are unemployed and underemployed despite the job skills, formal education, and entrepreneurial training they received as participants in the Formal Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program that was established to reintegrate combatants into civilian society at the end of the two civil wars in Liberia in 2003. The purpose of this study was to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the vocational training offered by the DDR program. Informed by the theories of Human Capital, Peace Building, and Bronfrenbrenner, the research questions for this study assessed the benefits of the educational component of DDR. A phenomenological study design was employed with a purposeful sample of exmilitant participants that included 12 ex-militants and a focus group of 6-ex-militants drawn from the 12 who completed vocational training at the Monrovia Vocational Training Center in Monrovia (MVTC). All data were inductively coded and analyzed using a constant comparative method. Data analysis uncovered five textural themes: motivation for disarmament, hope to rebuild lives through vocational training, dissatisfaction with reintegration, perception of reintegration, and perception of future combat participation. Findings support human capital, peace building, and ecological systems theories in that ex-militants perceived the benefit of education in their transition to peacetime endeavor, but consider themselves only partially reintegrated since all consider themselves unemployed with no means to survive economically. This study is significant because it provides recommendations to policymakers on how such a program can improve the vocational training offered and provide follow-up life-skills counseling. Phenomenological Study on the Educational Component of the Formal Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration of Ex-Militants in Liberia by John Tamba Wollie MA, American Military University, 2010 BS, Park University, 2008 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy & Administration Walden University June 2016 Dedication To God be the glory; through him, all things are possible. This work is dedicated to the Almighty for giving me strength and wisdom to achieve my dream. It is also dedicated to my wife Georgina and daughters Chelsea and Joye, who provided me with the love and motivation to work aggressively towards achieving this monumental task. Acknowledgments Firstly, I thank the Lord for giving me the strength to persevere. Dr. Linda Day (my committee chair), thank you for the steadfast mentorship throughout my dissertation journey. A big thank you to Dr. Mi Young Li (my methodologist) for guiding me through the qualitative process and Dr. George Klay Kieh (URR) for contributing immensely to making this study possible. My dear wife, Georgina Wollie, and two daughters, Chelsea and Joye, deserve a lot of gratitude for supporting me and sacrificing their time to make time for me to accomplish this work. I also want to recognize my late mom, Nancy F. Wollie, mother-in-law, Yassah Shorrow, my sister and brother, Dr. Jestina Mason (MD) and Eskine Wollie, Dr. E. Festus Odubo, and Alinka Foldesi-Freeman for all the love and care they have accorded me through the years. Lastly, to my Walden University staff and classmates, I thank you for putting up with me during the years. Your encouragement and support have made me the scholar that I have become. I am grateful and blessed to have such highly accomplished individuals in my life.