Dissertation

My dissertation seeks to explain the variation of types of violence in African civil wars. Specifically, why some groups use strategies of violence against civilians and sexual violence, while others deliberately avoid targeting civilians in any way. I argue that the strength of the group influences the strategies used. Strong groups will avoid targeting civilians and will face their enemy directly. Groups that are not strong enough to do this will find alternatives strategies to continue the conflict and will target civilians in an attempt to take over territory, as a way of building strength toward their eventual goal (whether that is taking over the central government or secession). The weakest groups will use strategies of sexual violence against civilians in addition to other strategies to accelerate the breakdown of the civilian ‘social fabric,’ which makes the territory easier to take over.

I test this theory using both cross-national group-level data and two micro-studies of the Sierra Leone and Liberia civil wars, and as such this dissertation sits at the intersection of comparative politics and international relations. The combined quantitative and qualitative approach allows me to explore this subject thoroughly and I find support for this theory. Interestingly, the effect of strength on the strategies of violence is larger for government militaries than for rebel groups. Post-graduation, I plan to publish this dissertation as a book.