Trajectories of Political Violence

Abstract

Processes of political violence are highly dynamic, constantly changing phenomena that entail shifts in the form, scale, and spaces of violence as well as the continuous transformation of actors. One of the problems with concepts such as “terrorism” (but also “guerrilla warfare”, for example) is that they tend to obscure the heterogeneity and the constantly evolving character of episodes of political violence, as well as the fact that different forms of political violence frequently do co-exist or evolve one out of the other. By inviting papers addressing the question of trajectories of political violence, this panel seeks to draw attention to these patterns of transformation – the transformation of forms of violence and the transformation of militant groups – over the course of episodes of political violence. Topics of particular interest to the panel include: How does violent protest develop into clandestine violence and large-scale insurgencies? And what is the relationship between different forms of political violence that coexist during certain episodes? How are armed groups re-shaped, for example by violent escalation, harsh repression, or drug economies? And when and how do shifts between different social spaces (i.e. from urban centers to the rural or suburban periphery) occur and how do they re-shape violent conflicts?