Grounds for Separation: Comparing Recruitment to Separatist Rebel Groups

33 Pages Posted: 24 Aug 2011

See all articles by Ragnhild Nordås

Ragnhild Nordås

International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO)

Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham

University of Maryland - College Park

Scott Gates

Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO) ; University of Oslo

Kristian Skrede Gleditsch

University of Essex; International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO)

Date Written: August 28, 2010

Abstract

Separatist movements typically share a basis of legitimacy rooted in nationalism and common ancestral roots. However, a considerable subset of separatists bases their claims on religious difference as well. For instance, separatist conflicts such as the conflict in Mindanao in the Philippines, the Ogaden conflict in Ethiopia, the Karen’s struggle in Myanmar, and the Chechen conflict, all represent groups in conflict with the state involving religious claims-making. In this paper, we explore the differences across religious vs. solely ethno-nationalist separatists, as well as between groups of varying degrees of extremist doctrine, focusing on the mobilization to such groups. Through a game-theoretic model and empirical analysis of recent separatist conflicts, we demonstrate systematic difference in the capacity of separatist rebel groups and trace this to their recruitment potential based on doctrinal space.

Keywords: Separatism, recruitment, civil war, religion, principal-agents

JEL Classification: C72

Suggested Citation

Nordås, Ragnhild and Cunningham, Kathleen Gallagher and Gates, Scott and Gleditsch, Kristian Skrede, Grounds for Separation: Comparing Recruitment to Separatist Rebel Groups (August 28, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1667464 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1667464

Ragnhild Nordås (Contact Author)

International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO) ( email )

Oslo
N-0260 Oslo
Norway

Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham

University of Maryland - College Park ( email )

Scott Gates

Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO) ( email )

N-0260 Oslo
Norway
+472547732 (Phone)
+4722547701 (Fax)

University of Oslo

PO Box 6706 St Olavs plass
Oslo, N-0317
Norway

Kristian Skrede Gleditsch

University of Essex ( email )

Wivenhoe Park
Colchester, CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom

International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO)

Oslo
N-0260 Oslo
Norway

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