Module Directory

The world of violent non-state actors has received growing attention among academics and policy circles. Given the rise of groups such as the Islamic State, and criminal organisations fighting in Mexico and other locations, the focus on violent non-state actors has become increasingly important.

This module focuses on the political science literature on violent non-state actors. The module starts with a conceptual approach, considering why some groups fit into categories such as "insurgent" while others perhaps fit better in another category such as "terrorist" or "mafia". It also examines why non-state actors resort to violence and crime, what tactics and strategies they use, how they fund their existence, how they undermine the state and what can be done to counter the instability they cause. The module will examine the objectives of these organizations, what their mobilization strategies are and what often constitutes their support base. The module will give a thorough overview of not only the world of violent non-state actors but also the political, economic, geographical and regional environments which help to explain their strength.

The aims of this module are:

• To introduce students to violent non-state actors such as warlords, terrorist and insurgent groups, paramilitary groups, private security companies, rebel organizations, gangs and organized crime


• To present in-depth theoretical and empirical findings in the literature on violent non-state actors and defines the key variables, to better understand how to conduct research in this area


• To apply theory to non-state actors in Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and other regions


• To help students understand what factors are conducive to the emergence of violent non-state actors, the regional dynamics that explain their persistence and why they are so challenging to the modern state

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Think critically about the emergence of violent non-state actors within a broad historical & comparative perspective.


2. Develop a more comprehensive understanding and familiarity of the differences across types of violent non-state actors, and how to classify an organisation as one type or another.


3. Understand the main theoretical and empirical contributions of this new field;


4. Identify how violent non-state actors pose challenges to the state and how the state is able to respond to these challenges.


5. Identify the political, historical and socio-economic roots of violent non-state actors;


6. Communicate clear and well-researched observations about the substantive questions raised in the module.

Indicative Syllabus:

• What are VNSAs?


• Insurgent organisations


• Warlords, militias, and vigilantes


• Terrorist organisations


• Organised crime


• Gangs


• Crime-terror nexus


• Private military companies


• Countering VNSAs: Coercive approaches


• Countering VNSAs: Less-coercive approaches

The module will be delivered via

• Two-hour weekly seminars.

Students will be expected to read in advance, and the seminar will be a mixture of lecture, entire-group discussion, and small-group discussion if the numbers permit it. This multi-method approach will make sure that students will learn about the material in a variety of ways, including speaking about it themselves. I will incorporate multi-media material such as maps and short videos to provide additional means to understand the content, and to keep students’ interest and encourage discussion.