| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Private military and security companies' (PMSCs) relationship with state actors has received significant scholarly attention; their interaction with other private actors such as humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has remained largely neglected. This article looks at the evolving relationship between NGOs and PMSCs in three parts. First, it assesses the current state of NGO-PMSC interaction. Two aspects stand out: contracting and conflict. By drawing on existing research on different forms of inter-cultural cooperation such as military-military and humanitarian-military cooperation, the second part of the article will show that conflict between PMSCs and NGOs can inter alia arise from their differing backgrounds, mandates, approaches to security, and short- and long-term goals. By looking at both differences and similarities between the two actors, the third part of the article will sketch out possible pathways for the future.
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