Collective strategies for human development in war and its long shadow

This special issue of 'Human Development' presents theories, methods, and findings coming from innovative research on interventions. It emphasizes collective strategies for child and youth reflection and development during and after violent conflicts, displacement, and major cultural change. The articles focus on practice-based research. The case studies describe interventions in civic engagement, community reconciliation, spontaneous education practices, and storytelling in community organizations in Africa, Latin America, the Western Balkans, and the United States. The unique approaches and explanations throughout these articles complement the typical focus on trauma. The authors consider how children and youth make sense of the extreme challenges in their changing environments. Overall, this publication provides researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and funders with valuable insight into the cognitive, social, and emotional capacities of children and youth.