| ID | 178929 |
| Title Proper | Violence on the Home Front |
| Other Title Information | Interstate Rivalry and Pro-Government Militias |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Akins, Harrison |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | With an increased focus on the role of pro-government militias in understanding intra-state conflict, scholars have primarily argued that states use militias as a proxy of the government because of low capacity or as a means of avoiding responsibility for violence against civilians. However, states with both high capacity and a willingness to commit violence against civilians have also relied upon pro-government militias in counterinsurgency operations. This paper argues that states involved in enduring interstate rivalries are more likely to use pro-government militias in order to reserve conventional military forces for potential conflict with their rival. Based on a case study of India’s Kashmir insurgency and logit analysis of pro-government militia data from 1981 to 2001, the findings provide empirical support for this theory and are robust to alternative measures and model specifications. |
| `In' analytical Note | Terrorism and Political Violence Vol. 33, No.1-4; Jan-Jun 2021: p.466-488 |
| Journal Source | Terrorism and Political Violence Vol: 33 No 1-4 |
| Key Words | Counterinsurgency ; India ; Kashmir ; Militias ; Intra-state Conflict ; Interstate Rivalry |