| ID | 172330 |
| Title Proper | Ties that bind |
| Other Title Information | ethnicity, pro-government militia, and the dynamics of violence in civil war |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Clayton, Govinda ; Thomson, Andrew ; Abbs, Luke |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Existing research reveals many of the ways pro-government militia (PGM) shape civil violence but overlooks how the ethno-political ties between the state and a PGM might influence these effects. We argue that co-ethnic militia (i.e., groups composed of the ruling elite’s ethnic kin) are relatively loyal irregular forces that multiply state military capacity. The greater loyalty of co-ethnic groups mitigates principal–agent problems but further polarizes ethnic communities, and as a result, co-ethnic PGMs are likely to be associated with longer and more intense civil conflict. We test this argument on a global sample of cases from 1989 to 2007 using new data capturing the ethnic ties of all PGMs. The results support our claims that co-ethnic militia are associated with more intense and longer civil conflict. |
| `In' analytical Note | Journal of Conflict Resolution Vol. 64, No.5; May 2020: p.903–932 |
| Journal Source | Journal of Conflict Resolution Vol: 64 No 5 |
| Key Words | Ethnicity ; Counterinsurgency ; Conflict Intensity ; Conflict Duration ; Civil War ; Pro - Government Militia |