Managing Civil Wars and Intrastate Conflict

Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebel fighters.

Intrastate conflicts and civil wars have replaced inter-state wars as the dominant forms of organized violence that shape our world. What factors explain the upsurge in intrastate violence and how have actors attempted to resolve them?

Intrastate Conflict: Data, Trends and Drivers

04 Feb 2013 / Special Feature

Over the decades, inter-state warfare has been overtaken by intrastate conflicts and civil wars as the most common forms of political violence worldwide. But just what are these forms of violence? Today, we look at different ways to define them and consider some of the underlying reasons they occur. More on «Intrastate Conflict: Data, Trends and Drivers»

When Passion Dries Out, Reason Takes Control

05 Feb 2013 / Special Feature

What can motivational psychology teach us about the role of passion and reason in civil or intrastate wars? In today’s Special Feature, Thomas Tranekaer tries to connect the dots and explain the very human impulses that animate these types of conflict. More on «When Passion Dries Out, Reason Takes Control»

The Role of Religion in Civil Wars

06 Feb 2013 / Special Feature

Religion often plays an important role in civil wars but is it ever THE precipitating cause behind them? As he explains in today’s Questions and Answers, the CSS’s Owen Frazer doesn’t think so. He sees (and describes) an interplay of factors that drive civil conflicts. More on «The Role of Religion in Civil Wars»

The Role of Ethnicity in Civil Conflicts

07 Feb 2013 / Special Feature

While ethnicity is often cited as an important precipitating factor in many civil wars, it doesn’t necessarily explain the persistence of violence between ethnic groups. In today’s Special Feature, we explore the roles economic inequality and political power struggles play in fanning civil strife. More on «The Role of Ethnicity in Civil Conflicts»

Ending Civil War

08 Feb 2013 / Special Feature

What's the best way to end civil wars and intrastate conflict? While Stefan Wolff argues that effective leadership, diplomacy and institutional design offer the best chances for peace, Monica Duffy Toft disagrees. More on «Ending Civil War»

Additional Content

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Human Security Report 2012, Chapter 5: State-Based Armed Conflict (Article)
Chapter 5 of the 2012 HSR explores the relationship between battle-related deaths and state-based ar...
Modern War – Its Present Status and New Identity (Article)
Two things are certain about modern warfare, argues Peter Faber.
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Sri Lanka's civil society and public sector institutions are under threat.
The "Dark Side" of the Syrian Transition and its Potentially Dire Regional Consequences (Article)
Syria stands on the brink of a civil war that may destabilze the wider Middle East.
Syria's Kurds: A Struggle within a Struggle (Publication)
In early 2013, Syria's majority-Kurd areas have remained relatively insulated from the civil war.
Nepal’s Faltering Peace Process and Swiss Engagement (Publication)
Nepal's civil war ended with a peace agreement in 2006.
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The Consequences of Failed Mediation in Civil Wars: Assessing the Sri Lankan Case (Publication)
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