GV211-5-SP-CO:
Violent Non State Actors: Violence, Crime and Conflict
2024/25
Government
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
19 May 2022
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA L250 International Relations (Including Foundation Year),
BA L258 International Relations,
BA L259 International Relations (Including Year Abroad),
BA L260 International Relations (Including Placement Year),
MPOLL268 International Relations,
MPOLL269 International Relations (Including Placement Year),
MPOLL370 International Relations (Including Year Abroad)
While political science scholarship has studied non-state actors more extensively, the world of violent non-state actors has only recently received attention and interest among academics and policy circles. Given the rise of groups such as the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, the focus on violent non-state actors has become more and more important.
This module focuses on the political science literature on violent non-state actors. The module 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 with 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 module aims to introduce students to violent non-state actors such as warlords, terrorist and insurgent groups, paramilitary groups, private security companies, rebel and youth organizations, gangs and organized crime.
The module presents the basic theoretical and empirical findings in the literature on violent non-state actors and defines the key variables, in order to better understand how to conduct research in this area.
Though the module is theoretically driven, it will also focus on non-state actors in West and East Africa, Latin America, the Levant, Southeast Asia and Central Asia.
Students will 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 the module students will be able to:
1. Think critically about the emergence of violent non-state actors within a broad historical and comparative perspective;
2. Develop a more comprehensive understanding and familiarity of what violent non-state actors are and the main theoretical and empirical contributions of this new field;
3. Identify how violent non-state actors pose challenges to the state and how the state is able to respond to these challenges.
4. Identify the political, historical and socio-economic roots of violent non-state actors;
5. Communicate clear and well-researched observations about the substantive questions raised in the module.
No additional information available.
This module will be taught over 2 hours per week.
- Phillips, Brian J. (2015-01) 'Enemies with benefits? Violent rivalry and terrorist group longevity', in Journal of Peace Research. vol. 52 (1) , pp.62-75
- Phillips, Brian J. (2015-04) 'How Does Leadership Decapitation Affect Violence? The Case of Drug Trafficking Organizations in Mexico', in The Journal of Politics. vol. 77 (2) , pp.324-336
- Varese, Federico. (2010) Organized crime: critical concepts in criminology, London: Routledge.
- Marten, Kimberly. (2006/2007) 'Warlordism in Comparative Perspective', in International Security. vol. 31 (3) , pp.41-73
- Ezrow, Natasha M. (2017) Global politics and violent non-state actors, London: Sage.
- Staniland, Paul. (2017-07) 'Armed politics and the study of intrastate conflict', in Journal of Peace Research. vol. 54 (4) , pp.459-467
- Cruz, José Miguel; Durán-Martínez, Angélica. (2016-03) 'Hiding violence to deal with the state', in Journal of Peace Research. vol. 53 (2) , pp.197-210
- Leander, Anna. (2005) 'The Market for Force and Public Security: The Destabilizing Consequences of Private Military Companies', in Journal of Peace Research. vol. 42 (5) , pp.605-622
- Arana, Ana. (2005) 'How the Street Gangs Took Central America', in Foreign Affairs. vol. 84 (3) , pp.98-
- Makarenko, Tamara. (2004-02) 'The Crime-Terror Continuum: Tracing the Interplay between Transnational Organised Crime and Terrorism', in Global Crime. vol. 6 (1) , pp.129-145
- Arjona, Ana. (©2016) Rebelocracy: social order in the Colombian civil war, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
- Phillips, Brian J. (2015) 'How does leadership decapitation affect violence? The case of drug trafficking organizations in Mexico', in The Journal of Politics. vol. 77 (2) , pp.324-336
- Kimberly Marten. (no date) 'Warlordism in Comparative Perspective', in International Security: The MIT Press.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Case Study |
|
40% |
| Coursework |
Online Test |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
Critical Article Comparison |
|
30% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Brian Phillips, email: brian.phillips@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Brian Phillips
Module Supervisor: Brian Phillips - brian.phillips@essex.ac.uk
/ Module Administrator: Jasini Hobbs - govquery@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
No
Dr Mohammed Rodwan Abouharb
University College London
Available via Moodle
Of 80 hours, 80 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Government
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