Re-examining the State/Non-State Binary in the Study of (Civil) War

Abstract

One of the fundamental distinctions informing studies on civil war is that between state and non-state actors as parties to an armed conflict. As we argue, however, this binary has recently come under increased scrutiny in light of real-world developments in armed conflicts. The article builds on newer scholarly contributions that have exposed the porous boundaries between state and non-state actors and orders while demonstrating a striking convergence in their behaviour. Drawing on examples from conflict zones in West Asia and North Africa, we investigate phenomena in civil wars that uncover the tenuity of state/non-state distinction.