This research examines the question of when and why states and non-state actors (NSAs) find themselves in violent political interaction as opposed to non-violent bargaining and negotiation. The project combines approaches from sociology and political science to produce a unique perspective on the occurrence of state-NSA political violence. Building off of studies of social movements and international relations, the research identifies political conditions that produce discernible patterns of conflict dynamics between these actors. The project then investigates whether states and NSAs learn from these patterns (and their absence) and alter their behavior as a result. Can states and non-state actors adapt to the environmental conditions that produce violence, or are they fundamentally constrained from adaptation? Do these actors learn from their direct experiences over time, and do they learn from the reputations of their enemies? These questions are addressed using theory building derived from the study of social movements and the study of conflict in international relations. The theoretical arguments are then tested using quantitative data on events pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By disaggregating the Palestinian actor into its factional components and observing other NSAs as they interact with the Israeli government over a long period of time, the research taps into the dynamics of conflict over time and identifies learning behavior both between the Israeli government and NSAs as well as among NSAs as they adapt to the changing political environment.
This research could have an impact on how governments deal with conflict of this type. In addition, graduate students will be trained in a unique interdiscipliary manner that looks at conflict processes from the views of sociology and international relations.
