TRANSFORMATIONS

Transformations of violence during the decline of insurgencies

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'This research project examines the transformation of violence during the decline of violent insurgencies. It starts from the observation that forms of violence and violent actors change and are re-shaped in various ways over the course of violent conflict, in particular during phases of decline. These processes often contribute to ending insurgent campaigns by weakening, isolating, or fragmenting insurgent movements, but at the same time entail a proliferation of armed groups and can result in the diffusion and perpetuation of violence well beyond the “official” end of insurgent conflicts. The aim of this research project is to identify typical patterns of transformation and to analyze the relational and environmental mechanisms that drive these processes. In particular, it focuses on the spread of indiscriminate violence, the intertwinement of political violence with other forms of violence, the emergence of hybrid violent actors, and processes of transnationalization. The project relies on a comparative analysis of three cases: the violent campaigns by Islamist movements in Egypt (al-Jamaa al-Islamiyya) and Algeria (GIA, GSPC) since the early 1990s, and the violent insurgency of Sendero Luminoso in Peru (1980 to the present), focusing on developments during and after the peak of insurgent mobilization. This comparison is designed to combine similarities in the structure and aims of the insurgent movements and in the patterns of violence with differences in their cultural and political setting, in order to identify basic common patterns and mechanisms. Building on my previous work on political violence, the aim of this research project is to develop a deeper understanding of the dynamics of violence during and after militant insurgencies. Applying relational process analysis to the field of violent insurgencies, the it draws upon and seeks to contribute to an innovative line of current research and to approach a hitherto unexplored field of study.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

A comparative and in-depth analysis of the micro-dynamics of violence during and after militant insurgencies contributes to understanding trajectories and outcomes of violent conflict.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Phases of violent conflict can change and re-shape forms of violence and violent actors over the course of time. This is mostly the case during the decline phases. At such times, insurgent movements are weakened, isolated and fragmented.

The EU-funded TRANSFORMATIONS (Transformations of violence during the decline of insurgencies) project aimed to pinpoint typical patterns of transformation and examine the mechanisms that propel these processes. The particular areas of focus were spread of indiscriminate violence and how political violence intertwines with other forms of violence, as well as the development of hybrid violent actors.

Different types of data were used for the comparative analysis of three cases. These included the violent campaigns by Islamist movements in Algeria and Egypt since the early 1990s, and the violent insurgency of Sendero Luminoso in Peru. The comparison provides an examination of the combination of similarities in the structures and goals of insurgent movements. It also examines the differences in terms of culture and political settings.

One of the project's main achievements was the development of an analytical approach. It built on social movement theory and studies on the operations of violence in civil wars. This offers the ability to trace and explain patterns of transformation in violence by concentrating on the dynamics of interactions of armed groups and their environments.

The work has been presented at several international conferences. Findings will be useful in the field of violent insurgencies as they contribute to an innovative wave of current research and can pave the way to a largely unexplored field of study.