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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 MoodyAfter 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 InsurgenciesISSN
0959-2318Publisher
Taylor & FrancisExternal DOI
Issue
3Volume
29Page range
456-490Department affiliated with
- Geography Publications
Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2018-11-06First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2018-11-05Usage metrics
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