Blackwell Reference Online

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Comment on this article   Within the fields of political science and international relations (IR), the analysis of civil and international conflict has become markedly more sophisticated in the past two decades. Research emphasis has shifted from the study of international conflicts to the identification of societies that are susceptible to civil war, as these are the most common type of conflicts since the end of the Cold War ( Harbom et al. 2008 ). The theories that animate the study of conflict have emphasized a combination of economic and ethnic–ideological motivations, with additional consideration of political and systemic factors such as alliances, support from external benefactors, and the role of diasporas in supporting rebel movements. Domestic political instability, fluctuating incomes, and conflict in surrounding regions are related to increased civil war risk (see Hegre and Sambanis 2006 ). However, few studies have presented a coherent and compelling narrative about the persistence and patterns of conflict since 1945, and the conclusions of the most cited study ( Fearon and Laitin 2003 ) have been challenged by follow-up studies (see Hegre and Sambanis 2006 ; Hegre and Raleigh 2009 ). The quantitative literature on understanding the causes and duration of civil war has somewhat stalled. The reason for the recent limited progress in civil war research, ironically, ... log in or subscribe to read full text