Explaining Violent Conflict: Going Beyond Greed Versus Grievance

UNU-WIDER Special Issue on Conflict, Journal of International Development; 15(4):391-396. DOI: 10.1002/jid.991

Posted: 15 Nov 2014

See all articles by Tony Addison

Tony Addison

United Nations University

Syed Mansoob Murshed

Institute of Social Studies (ISS)

Date Written: February 2003

Abstract

Recent years have seen a surge of research into the causes of conflict together with its development effects, as well as the design of peace initiatives, peace-keeping and programmes of reconstruction, reconciliation and democratization in 'post-conflict' societies. This research deals with a highly complex (and contested) set of issues, not least because conflict can take a wide variety of forms: high levels of political violence within the context of a functioning state; low-intensity guerrilla insurrection or localized rebellion; civil war that does fundamental damage to (or destroys) state organizations; and wars between states or alliances of states. Crucially, societies may stand on the cusp of conflict but pull back and they may pass back and forth between types of conflict (from low-intensity to high-intensity civil war, for instance). In the more fortunate (but all too few) cases they may successfully drag themselves from the mire of endless violence, only to face seemingly insurmountable challenges in the peace; the experience of post-conflict reconstruction shows that peace may save the lives of the poor but it may do little to improve their livelihoods.

Suggested Citation

Addison, Tony and Murshed, Syed Mansoob, Explaining Violent Conflict: Going Beyond Greed Versus Grievance (February 2003). UNU-WIDER Special Issue on Conflict, Journal of International Development; 15(4):391-396. DOI: 10.1002/jid.991, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2524265

Tony Addison (Contact Author)

United Nations University ( email )

Katajanokanlaituri 6B
Helsinki, FIN-00160
Finland

Syed Mansoob Murshed

Institute of Social Studies (ISS) ( email )

PO Box 29776
2502 LT The Hague, 2518 AX
Netherlands
+31 70 426 0591 (Phone)
+31 70 426 0799 (Fax)

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