The Agency of Armed Groups in Prolonging Civil Wars and the Nigerian Case
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2025-06-25
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en
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I explore the ways in which armed groups may prolong violence in civil wars through a comparative case study of two armed groups in Nigeria. Alliances they enter and their perceived legitimacy by local communities are particular challenges. Armed groups may take action as a combination of greed for power and grievances against mistreatment. I conceptualize armed groups as rational actors that prioritize their own survival and use veto player powers. They have agency if state functions cease to exist in at least a part of the country but are still constrained by the structural conditions of the local environment. They can cynically use these conditions to their advantage, as well as genuinely fight for an ideological cause. I examine Boko Haram and MEND as case examples, the historical development of these armed groups and of Nigeria and how they affect the Nigerian society. From there, I draw some general inferences about the influence of armed groups. I close with implications for conflict resolution in civil wars and recommendations for future research on armed groups.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen