Since the middle of the 1990s, numerous analysts have argued that qualitative changes have occurred in the nature of violent conflict and that it is now possible to think in terms of ‘new wars’ that are distinct in significant ways from earlier forms of conflict. This new pattern focuses on ethnic competition as a source of conflict and distinguishing “new” civil wars as criminal, rather than political phenomena. The lecture’s intent is to explain the categorization of war and its consequences and to help students make their own opinion on this phenomenon. A brief focus will highlight the privatization of war and the use of private security companies.

Documents:

Download File	Document Name
	Deborah Avant, From Mercenary to Citizen Armies: Explaining Change in the Practice of War, 2000
	Caroline Holmqvist, Private Security Companies: The Case for Regulation, 2005
	Christina Hellmich, Al-Qaeda—terrorists, hypocrites, fundamentalists? The view from within, 2005
	Mats Berdal, David M. Malone, Greed and Grievance, Economic Agendas in Civil Wars, 2000