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Between the cracks: actor fragmentation and local conflict systems in the Libyan civil war

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 15:44 authored by Andrea Carboni, James Moody
After nearly four years of civil war, Libya continues to be described as an ‘ungoverned space’ where the collapse of state institutions reignited tribal, political, religious and ideological tensions. These accounts, however, obscure Libya’s complex subnational governance, and the role of non-state armed groups in shaping the emerging political orders. By contrast, we contend that distinct subnational political orders have emerged in Libya since 2014 in which actors engage in state-making practices driven by local interests. Using empirical evidence to explore the activity of non-state armed groups during the Libyan civil conflict, we highlight that the local conflict environments in eastern, western and southern Libya provide specific incentives that shape the process of armed group splintering and patterns of violence. The findings demonstrate that claims to authority and notions of statehood extend far beyond the state whereby governance relations are negotiated between state and non-state actors. Conflict patterns, (in)stability and the prevailing political order are therefore conditional on the nature of the dominant actor, their strategies and modes of violence within their areas of influence. Through this analysis, the paper provides a more granular understanding of the local political dynamics that drive violence in Libya and civil wars more generally.

Funding

European Research Council; 283755

European Union's Seventh Framework Programme; FP7/2007-2013

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Small Wars and Insurgencies

ISSN

0959-2318

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Issue

3

Volume

29

Page range

456-490

Department affiliated with

  • Geography Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2018-11-06

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-11-05

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