Nonstate Actors in Intrastate Conflicts

"The trenchant and elegant essays of Nonstate Actors in Intrastate Conflicts break new conceptual and empirical ground in the literature on civil wars. Focusing on foreign volunteers and diasporas in the Middle East, the authors offer important insights into how these actors can fuel or dampen internal conflict. For anyone interested in the region's patterns of political violence or, more generally, in transnational conflict processes, this volume constitutes essential reading." (Lars-Erik Cederman, Center for Comparative and International Studies in Zurich) "Nonstate Actors in Intrastate Conflicts takes a multidisciplinary approach and demonstrates that the questions raised are not only for political science but also for sociology, psychology, history, and anthropology." (Gloria Totoricaguena, Cenarrusa Foundation for Basque Culture) "An invaluable volume that unveils the nuances of contemporary conflicts and fills major gaps in the literature. It is a must read for every student of conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere." (Ami Pedahzur, University of Texas at Austin) "In this fascinating book, Dan Miodownik and Oren Barak remind us that the phenomenon of "Foreign Fighters" who deploy to remote battlefields on their own is not new. However, at the same time they indicate that this phenomenon is becoming increasingly prevalent in a globalized world." (Ami Pedahzur, University of Texas at Austin) "Miodownik, Barak, and the contributors to this outstanding volume remind us that, like other phenomena that involve human beings, we need to exercise caution, to be humble, and to remember the importance of context whenever we try to offer general explanations for conflict-related phenomena." (Ami Pedahzur, University of Texas at Austin)