Terrorism, Spoiling, and the Resolution of Civil Wars

@article{Findley2015TerrorismSA,
  title={Terrorism, Spoiling, and the Resolution of Civil Wars},
  author={Michael G. Findley and Joseph K. Young},
  journal={The Journal of Politics},
  year={2015},
  volume={77},
  pages={1115 - 1128}
}
Civil war combatants use terrorism frequently, yet we understand little about terrorism’s effects on war resolution. It is assumed that the primary combatants to a war hold a veto over resolution, but less attention has been devoted to whether the use of terrorism can derail peace agreements. We contend that even terrorism, a generally low intensity form of violence, can make civil war peace processes less likely to conclude in a peaceful, durable resolution. Using a new and large… 
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34 Citations
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34 Citations

The Power to Resist: Mobilization and the Logic of Terrorist Attacks in Civil War

Existing research has argued that terrorism is common in civil war because it is “effective.” Surprisingly, however, only some groups use terrorism during civil wars, while many refrain altogether.…

The Ubiquity of Terror: Politically Motivated Killing of Civilians

Abstract Despite ongoing debate, most definitions of terrorism agree that it involves violence against civilians by state or non-state actors intended to send a broader message to an audience well…

United Nations peacekeeping and terrorism: short-term risks and long-term benefits

ABSTRACT Does the introduction of UN forces impact terrorism? We argue that at least initially, UN peacekeeping missions may significantly shift the local conflict bargaining process, creating…

Explaining State Violence in the Guatemalan Civil War: Rebel Threat and Counterinsurgency

  • Y. Kubota
  • Political Science
    Latin American Politics and Society
  • 2017
Abstract Literature on the Guatemalan Civil War has debated whether or not state violence was triggered by rebel activities. Did the government respond to each insurrection caused by the rebels, or…

Weapon of Choice: Terrorist Bombings in Armed Conflict

  • M. Boyle
  • Political Science
    Studies in Conflict & Terrorism
  • 2020
Abstract Under what circumstances do armed groups in conflict choose to use terrorist bombings? This article challenges the conventional wisdom that terrorist bombings are done by either…

Carrots, Sticks, and Insurgent Targeting of Civilians

How do conciliatory and coercive counterinsurgency tactics affect militant group violence against civilians? Scholars of civil war increasingly seek to understand intentional civilian targeting,…

‘Does peacekeeping deter terrorism?’

ABSTRACT This article examines the effect of the presence of UN peacekeeping forces on the scale of domestic terrorist violence in civil war-torn countries. By employing matching and regression…

Terrorism in armed conflict: new data attributing terrorism to rebel organizations

The Terrorism in Armed Conflict project integrates the Uppsala Conflict Data Project sample of rebel organizations with START’s Global Terrorism Database, covering 409 organizations for 1970–2013.…

“The War Will Come to Your Street”: Explaining Geographic Variation in Terrorism by Rebel Groups

  • K. Ash
  • Political Science, Sociology
  • 2018
ABSTRACT Geographic variation in rebels’ use of terrorism is not well understood. This article explains the use of terrorism in civil conflict through examining geographic variation in terrorist…

Terrorism before and after 9/11 – a more dangerous world?

Was 9/11 the opening salvo in a new age of terrorism? Some argue that this act ushered in a more chaotic world. Others contend an increased focus on terrorism in the past 15 years is the result of…

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