Rebel Groups, International Humanitarian Law, and Civil War Outcomes in the Post-Cold War Era
| Autor: | Jessica A. Stanton |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
021110 strategic
defence & security studies Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management Government Sociology and Political Science 05 social sciences 0211 other engineering and technologies Group behavior Appeal Face (sociological concept) 02 engineering and technology Criminology 0506 political science Politics Spanish Civil War Post–Cold War era Political science Political Science and International Relations 050602 political science & public administration Law International humanitarian law |
| Zdroj: | International Organization. 74:523-559 |
| ISSN: | 1531-5088 0020-8183 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/s0020818320000090 |
| Popis: | Do rebel group violations of international humanitarian law during civil war—in particular, attacks on noncombatant civilians—affect conflict outcomes? I argue that in the post-Cold War era, rebel groups that donottarget civilians have used the framework of international humanitarian law to appeal for diplomatic support from Western governments and intergovernmental organizations. However, rebel group appeals for international diplomatic support are most likely to be effective when the rebel group can contrast its own restraint toward civilians with the government's abuses. Rebel groups that donottarget civilians in the face of government abuses, therefore, are likely to be able to translate increased international diplomatic support into more favorable conflict outcomes. Using original cross-national data on rebel group violence against civilians in all civil wars from 1989 to 2010, I show that rebel groups that exercise restraint toward civilians in the face of government violence are more likely to secure favorable conflict outcomes. I also probe the causal mechanism linking rebel group behavior to conflict outcomes, showing that when a rebel group exercises restraint toward civilians and the government commits atrocities, Western governments and intergovernmental organizations are more likely to take coercive diplomatic action against the government. The evidence shows that rebel groups can translate this increased diplomatic support into favorable political outcomes. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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