Why do insurgent groups sometimes turn their violence against civilians, even when they rely on public support to pursue their goals? Insurgent Terrorism explores this complex question by examining how relationships between insurgent organisations, governments, and civilian populations can shape patterns of violence.
Insurgent groups do not operate independently. They are part of wider networks of alliances, rivalries, and relationships that can change over time. These connections can influence how organisations behave, including when and why they choose to target civilians. The book introduces the concept of insurgent embeddedness to examine how closely insurgent groups are connected to the state, other armed organisations, and the public, and how these relationships can help explain civilian targeting.
Drawing on the Big Allied and Dangerous (BAAD) dataset, Insurgent Terrorism takes a detailed look at violence against civilians in a range of settings. Its analysis considers attacks in places such as schools, news media organisations, and other non-military and non-government spaces intended for the general public. This provides a broader perspective on civilian victimisation and moves beyond explanations that focus solely on ideology or individual acts of violence.
A particularly valuable feature of the book is its attention to relationships between insurgent organisations. By examining alliances and rivalries, how they develop and change, and the factors that influence them, the book considers how intergroup dynamics can contribute to different forms of bloodshed against civilians.
Insurgent Terrorism offers a contemporary and detailed contribution to the study of insurgent organisations and political violence. It will be of interest to academics, students, researchers, and policy practitioners seeking to understand the relationships and dynamics that shape insurgent behaviour.
Please note this book is available behind a paywall.
Citation: Asal, Victor, Brian J. Phillips, and R. Karl Rethemeyer. Insurgent terrorism: Intergroup relationships and the killing of civilians. Oxford University Press, 2022.https://global.oup.com/academic/product/insurgent-terrorism-9780197607060
