Rebelocracy
Social Order in the Colombian Civil War

Based on years of fieldwork in Colombia, this is an analysis of rebel institutions and civilian-combatant relations in civil war.

Ana Arjona (Author)

9781107571594, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 28 September 2017

430 pages, 47 b/w illus. 5 maps 20 tables
23 x 15.2 x 2.6 cm, 0.65 kg

Conventional wisdom portrays war zones as chaotic and anarchic. In reality, however, they are often orderly. This work introduces a new phenomenon in the study of civil war: wartime social order. It investigates theoretically and empirically the emergence and functioning of social order in conflict zones. By theorizing the interaction between combatants and civilians and how they impact wartime institutions, the study delves into rebel behavior, civilian agency and their impact on the conduct of war. Based on years of fieldwork in Colombia, the theory is tested with qualitative and quantitative evidence on communities, armed groups, and individuals in conflict zones. The study shows how armed groups strive to rule civilians, and how the latter influence the terms of that rule. The theory and empirical results illuminate our understanding of civil war, institutions, local governance, non-violent resistance, and the emergence of political order.

Table of contents
List of tables and figures
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations and glossary of terms
1. Introduction
2. Wartime social order: what is it and how does it vary?
3. A theory of social order in civil war
4. Research design: conflict zones in Colombia
5. The determinants of social order
6. Creating rebelocracy, aliocracy, and disorder
7. How local institutions matter: a process-driven natural experiment in Viotá
8. Testing the microfoundations: social order and recruitment
9. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP], Political activism [JPW], International relations [JPS], Comparative politics [JPB], Military history: post WW2 conflicts [HBWS], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW]