Rebelocracy : Social Order in the Colombian Civil War

Challenging the conventional perception that war zones are chaotic and anarchic, this study analyzes rebel institutions, social order and civilian-combatant relations in the Colombian civil war. The results of extensive fieldwork shed light on how war transforms communities, patterns of local governance, non-violent resistance, state building, and political order.

Conventional wisdom portrays war zones as chaotic and anarchic. In reality, however, they are often orderly. This work introduces a new phenomenon in the study of civil war: wartime social order. It investigates theoretically and empirically the emergence and functioning of social order in conflict zones. By theorizing the interaction between combatants and civilians and how they impact wartime institutions, the study delves into rebel behavior, civilian agency and their impact on the conduct of war. Based on years of fieldwork in Colombia, the theory is tested with qualitative and quantitative evidence on communities, armed groups, and individuals in conflict zones. The study shows how armed groups strive to rule civilians, and how the latter influence the terms of that rule. The theory and empirical results illuminate our understanding of civil war, institutions, local governance, non-violent resistance, and the emergence of political order.