This project explores the changing character of warfare in conflicts involving non-Western states (where Western states play a much smaller role than in recent wars such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan). Conflicts involving Western states over the last two decades have been subject to a good deal of analysis, whereas more recent conflicts where Western states have played a smaller role have been subject to less examination and have not been examined comparatively. This project looked at conflicts in Yemen, Nigeria, Ukraine and Iraq/Syria in particular. Comparative analysis of these conflicts is useful as it a) allows the observation of broader trends across different contexts and b) it allows you to explore how particular conflict dynamics (such as the strategies of insurgents or the responses of governments) differ across conflicts.
Understanding these conflicts is very important as they represent a significant challenge to international and regional security as well as having huge humanitarian costs in terms of the numbers killed and displaced. This research has sought to understand some of the key dynamics better so as to be able to advise governments and other stakeholders on what to do (and what not to) in response to these and other future conflicts.
The overall objective of this project is to assess how the character of conflict involving non-Western military powers differs from general conceptualizations of recent warfare (and each other). It aims also to assess the extent to which these conflicts show similarities and differences from recent Western wars and the similarities and differences between these conflicts themselves.
