New Books Network Marc Sommers, "We the Young Fighters: Pop Culture, Terror, and War in Sierra Leone" (U Georgia Press, 2023)
Nov 30, 2025
Marc Sommers, an academic and former consultant, dives deep into the cultural influences during the Sierra Leone conflict. He reveals how icons like Bob Marley, Tupac Shakur, and Rambo inspired youth caught in cycles of war and terror. Sommers discusses the exploitation of young people through child soldiers and the role of drugs in warfare. He connects global patterns of alienation to local identities, exploring the lasting impact of pop culture on society. The talk underscores the urgent need for better governance to address these challenges.
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How The Book Began
- Marc Sommers recounts first hearing refugees name Tupac, Bob Marley, and Rambo when asked how they became refugees in Gambia.
- He realized pop-culture–named fighter groups played a real role in the Freetown attack and pursued the topic for decades.
Charles Taylor As War Architect
- Charles Taylor acted as an innovator who exported terror-based warfare and looting tactics into Sierra Leone.
- His use of child soldiers, 'pay yourself' looting, and dollar-based diamond markets shaped the conflict's form and profit model.
Youth Alienation Created A Hero Vacuum
- Deep structural alienation of youth made foreign pop-culture heroes meaningful in Sierra Leone.
- Lack of dignified work, schooling, and marriage prospects created a vacuum for Marley, Rambo, and Tupac to fill.
