Rethinking Violence: States and Non-State Actors in Conflict (Belfer Center Studies in International Security)

An original argument about the causes and consequences of political violence and the range of strategies employed. States, nationalist movements, and ethnic groups in conflict with one another often face a choice between violent and nonviolent strategies. Although major wars between sovereign states have become rare, contemporary world politics has been rife with internal conflict, ethnic cleansing, and violence against civilians. This book asks how, why, and when states and non-state actors use violence against one another, and examines the effectiveness of various forms of political violence. In the process of addressing these issues, the essays make two conceptual moves that illustrate the need to reconsider the way violence by states and non-state actors has typically been studied and understood. The first is to think of violence not as dichotomous, as either present or absent, but to consider the wide range of nonviolent and violent options available and ask why actors come to embrace particular strategies. The second is to explore the dynamic nature of violent conflicts, developing explanations that can account for the eruption of violence at particular moments in time. The arguments focus on how changes in the balance of power between and among states and non-state actors generate uncertainty and threat, thereby creating an environment conducive to violence. This innovative way of understanding violence deemphasizes the role of ethnic cleavages and nationalism in modern conflict. Contributors Kristin M. Bakke, Emily Beaulieu, H. Zeynep Bulutgil, Erica Chenoweth, Kathryn McNabb Cochran, Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham, Alexander B. Downes, Erin K. Jenne, Adria Lawrence, Harris Mylonas, Wendy Pearlman, Maria J. Stephan Annotation States, nationalist movements, and ethnic groups in conflict with one another often face a choice between violent and nonviolent strategies. Although major wars between sovereign states have become rare, contemporary world politics has been rife with internal conflict, ethnic cleansing, and violence against civilians. This book asks how, why, and when states and non-state actors use violence against one another, and examines the effectiveness of various forms of political violence. In the process of addressing these issues, the essays make two conceptual moves that illustrate the need to reconsider the way violence by states and non-state actors has typically been studied and understood. The first is to think of violence not as dichotomous, as either present or absent, but to consider the wide range of nonviolent and violent options available and ask why actors come to embrace particular strategies. The second is to explore the dynamic nature of violent conflicts, developing explanations that can account for the eruption of violence at particular moments in time. The arguments focus on how changes in the balance of power between and among states and non-state actors generate uncertainty and threat, thereby creating an environment conducive to violence. This innovative way of understanding violence deemphasizes the role of ethnic cleavages and nationalism in modern conflict. Contributors:Kristin M. Bakke, Emily Beaulieu, H. Zeynep Bulutgil, Erica Chenoweth, Kathryn McNabb Cochran, Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham, Alexander B. Downes, Erin K. Jenne, Adria Lawrence, Harris Mylonas, Wendy Pearlman, Maria J. Stephan Belfer Center Studies in International Security Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Foreword......Page 12 1 Introduction......Page 16 Part I: Rethinking State Violence......Page 36 2 Targeting Civilians to Win?......Page 38 3 War, Collaboration, and Endogenous Ethnic Polarization......Page 72 4 Assimilation and its Alternatives......Page 98 5 Ethnic Partition Under the League of Nations......Page 132 Part II: Rethinking Non-state Violence......Page 156 6 Driven to Arms?......Page 158 7 Dissent, Repression, and Inconsistency......Page 188 8 A Composite-Actor Approach to Conflict Behavior......Page 212 9 The Turn to Violence in Self-Determination Struggles in Chechnya and Punjab......Page 236 10 Mobilization and Resistance......Page 264 Contributors......Page 292 Index......Page 295 Belfer Center Studies in International Security......Page 301 ISBN,9780262014205,(hardcover,:,alk.,paper),—,ISBN,9780262514286,(pbk.,:,alk.,paper) MIT Press Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Foreword 12 1 Introduction 16 Part I: Rethinking State Violence 36 2 Targeting Civilians to Win? 38 3 War, Collaboration, and Endogenous Ethnic Polarization 72 4 Assimilation and its Alternatives 98 5 Ethnic Partition Under the League of Nations 132 Part II: Rethinking Non-state Violence 156 6 Driven to Arms? 158 7 Dissent, Repression, and Inconsistency 188 8 A Composite-Actor Approach to Conflict Behavior 212 9 The Turn to Violence in Self-Determination Struggles in Chechnya and Punjab 236 10 Mobilization and Resistance 264 Contributors 292 Index 295 Belfer Center Studies in International Security 301 Erica Chenoweth And Adria Lawrence, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.