The Monkey Dance

35 | Why do some conflicts become violent?

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Why do some resistance groups resort to armed struggle? And when do those groups decide it's time to put down arms?

Barbora Valik joins to talk about the factors that can lead to the violent mobilization of resistance movements, particularly as a strategy to call attention to their cause, and what needs to change for the violence to end.

We speak specifically about self-determination movements of indigenous peoples in Mexico, Colombia, and Chile. We chat about how states have many means of suppressing dissent, how they often avoid negotiating with groups they systematically marginalize, and why this can lead to groups struggling to seek leverage by any means necessary, ultimately turning to violence as a tool to gain concessions.

We also discuss why self-determination struggles need to ensure they control their own narrative, and why keeping the groups demands at the forefront of that narrative seems to be a successful strategy.

 

Guest: Barbora Valik

 

You can also watch the episode on youtube

 

Notes from Barbora:

  • Socialization = the process through which a movement positions itself within a community of other movements with the goal of emulating, learning, and normatively legitimising certain strategies.
  • Group leverage = the capacity of the movement to influence and exert pressure on state actors, deriving from demographic characteristics, broad alliances, organisational capacity, and inclusion.
  • Regime type = the nature of the political regime, capturing whether the context within which the movement operates is democratic, authoritarian, or democratising.

    • For a graph of Barbora's model, visit The Monkey Dance Website

     

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