Conflict Environments and their Violent Influences

This programme aims to better understand the multi-dimensional violent influences that contribute to conflict environments and how to better prevent and counter them.

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Programme Introduction

Building on the Terrorism and Conflict Studies team’s expertise in political violence and terrorism, this programme examines the intersection and dependencies that exist between conflict, organised crime, extremism, the dynamics and implications of non-state armed group interventions and governance, and various forms of proactive/responsive intervention, from ‘soft’ non-military engagement to security sector reform and assistance. The themes addressed span multiple geographical areas, allowing for the mapping, analysis, and response to instability and violence, thereby facilitating a more holistic appraisal of contemporary conflicts and their prevention, mitigation, and resolution.

This programme aims to identify and highlight the various factors contributing to conflict and violence by considering the complex and interconnected nature of most conflicts. By employing gender-sensitive and intersectional research methodologies, we intend to examine the effects of multiple drivers that frequently interact to fuel conflict, such as ideology, individual and political identity, resource scarcity, climate change, among others.

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Climate Change

Climate change has emerged as a significant topic of discussion and policy focus in recent years. However, the exploration of the links between climate change and issues such as conflict, radicalisation, and terrorism are still in its early stages. Establishing these connections can be challenging due to the complex nature of climate change and the difficulty of correlating it with social transformations, alongside numerous other factors that affect these relationships.

Crime-terror Nexus

Furthermore, the concept of the crime-terror nexus has gained significant traction, particularly considering concerns that the intertwined nature of criminal activities and terrorism can compromise political, economic, and social stability, weaken security, and obstruct developmental efforts. However, most of the research in this field is primarily influenced by donors and national governments, emphasising a top-down perspective on the interplay between these two threats. This research tends to concentrate narrowly on legally recognised organised crime and terrorist organisations, while neglecting the role of state actors in fostering insecurity through corruption, criminal behaviour, and violence. Such a limited approach risks overlooking the actual conditions on the ground, which could hinder the effectiveness of responses.

Privatisation of Security

One possible violent consequence of conflict zones is the privatisation of security, which can manifest in various forms, including outsourcing security services to private firms or the creation of private military forces. While the state may attempt to oversee this process, the privatisation of security can also occur autonomously, sometimes in direct opposition to state authority.

For the privatisation of security to effectively occur within a framework of state control, it is essential to manage non-state actors. There is an increasing body of literature addressing the legal structures governing the formation of private military and security companies (PMSCs) in politically stable environments. In contrast, the regulation of non-state actors in unstable situations, such as nations experiencing civil wars or insurgencies, remains significantly underexplored.

Violent Extremism Organisations

Furthermore, the team has extensively studied the effects and difficulties associated with the interventions of non-state armed groups, particularly focusing on how violent extremism organisations (VEOs) can acquire territorial control or exert governance influence over communities, as well as the amplifying impact this may have on conflict environments.

Through this analysis and the insights gained from policy and practice, the team aims to enhance the evidence foundation for gender-responsive and intersectional initiatives designed to address and mitigate the fundamental causes and exacerbating factors of violence within conflict ecosystems.