Work

Pathways to Violence: Dynamics for the Continuation of Large-scale Conflict

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: This article identifies why large-scale multisided civil conflict lasts for so long. The simple answer is that groups engaged in such conflicts have opportunities to achieve coveted ends like dominance and/or revenge by killing members of other groups. We focus on killing events and their temporal ordering rather than on rates. From this perspective, we identify how purely endogenous dynamics lead to conflict continuity and more unusually, conflict failure, or peace. The empirical case we consider is the Northern Ireland “Troubles,” 1969–2001.

Source: Sociological Theory

DOI: 10.1177/0735275118777000

Authors: Hrag Balian, Peter Bearman

Institution: Columbia University

Language: English

Topic: Political Conflict and Governance

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funder: Science and Engineering Research Board