New Perspectives on Civil War and Political Violence

Abstract

This panel brings together theoretical work on political violence and ethnic conflict with empirical research on civil war and democratic transitions. It addresses the relationships between violence and identity and between violence and the political that go to the heart of our understandings of civil war and organised violence. Theoretical perspectives are brought into dialogue with cross-national comparisons and case studies that examine the inter-related themes of ethno-religious violence, transitions to democracy, decolonisation and post-conflict security dilemmas.