Research

 

The Centre on Armed Groups generates original research, policy-relevant evidence and forward-looking analysis.

Our work seeks to challenge conventional assumptions and siloed thinking. It covers a diverse array of armed groups, from Al Shabab in Somalia and jihadists in Mali to criminal groups in the Americas. With an eye on the future, we are working to understand how the fragmentation of the international system and the rise of a multipolar world is shaping armed conflict

Civilian-armed group relations

Civilian-armed group dynamics are often thought of in terms of victimisation and violence - but we know they are often far more complex.

The Centre’s work explores how armed groups seek to exert influence over civilians – and how civilians negotiate life under armed group control.

Armed group economies

Armed groups seek to control or influence economic activity, whether for profit or to consoldiate their hold on the population. Yet we have a limited understanding of what shapes and enables armed group economic behavior.

The Centre’s current work focuses heavily on armed group taxation. It makes them money, helps them expand control, and reinforces their legitimacy.

All research

Featured
Shadow wars: the Taliban’s campaign against the Islamic State Khorasan Province
afghanistan, taliban, iskp, insurgency, counterinsurgency, islamic state
Shadow wars: the Taliban’s campaign against the Islamic State Khorasan Province
afghanistan, taliban, iskp, insurgency, counterinsurgency, islamic state
afghanistan, taliban, iskp, insurgency, counterinsurgency, islamic state
Islands in the storm: civilian survival deals with the warring parties in Sudan 
sudan, darfur, RSF, SAF, protection, civilian agency
Islands in the storm: civilian survival deals with the warring parties in Sudan 
sudan, darfur, RSF, SAF, protection, civilian agency
sudan, darfur, RSF, SAF, protection, civilian agency
Escaping isn’t for everyone: How Kurdish smugglers navigate checkpoints
checkpoints, roadblocks, iran, smuggling
Escaping isn’t for everyone: How Kurdish smugglers navigate checkpoints
checkpoints, roadblocks, iran, smuggling
checkpoints, roadblocks, iran, smuggling
Beyond the ‘rebel’ territorial trap: checkpoints in Myanmar
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar
Beyond the ‘rebel’ territorial trap: checkpoints in Myanmar
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar
DR Congo: roadblocks at the rhythm of the country
checkpoints, roadblocks, drc
DR Congo: roadblocks at the rhythm of the country
checkpoints, roadblocks, drc
checkpoints, roadblocks, drc
Drivers of ISKP recruitment in Afghanistan
afghanistan, iskp, islamic state, islamic state group, pakistan
Drivers of ISKP recruitment in Afghanistan
afghanistan, iskp, islamic state, islamic state group, pakistan
afghanistan, iskp, islamic state, islamic state group, pakistan
Somalia’s isbaaro: Checkpoints and world-making beyond the state
checkpoints, roadblocks, peer schouten, somalia, al shabaab
Somalia’s isbaaro: Checkpoints and world-making beyond the state
checkpoints, roadblocks, peer schouten, somalia, al shabaab
checkpoints, roadblocks, peer schouten, somalia, al shabaab
Dead-end dictatorship: roadblocks, rural livelihoods and resilient resistance in post-coup Myanmar
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar
Dead-end dictatorship: roadblocks, rural livelihoods and resilient resistance in post-coup Myanmar
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar
Border control paradox: The political economy of smuggling between Colombia and Venezuela
checkpoints, roadblocks, colombia, venezuela, smuggling
Border control paradox: The political economy of smuggling between Colombia and Venezuela
checkpoints, roadblocks, colombia, venezuela, smuggling
checkpoints, roadblocks, colombia, venezuela, smuggling
Choking points: opium flows, roadblocks and illicit finance in Burma’s Shan State
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar, taxation, armed group economies
Choking points: opium flows, roadblocks and illicit finance in Burma’s Shan State
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar, taxation, armed group economies
checkpoints, roadblocks, myanmar, taxation, armed group economies
The border business: a political economy analysis of checkpoint taxation in Afghanistan
checkpoints, roadblocks, afghanistan, taxation, taliban
The border business: a political economy analysis of checkpoint taxation in Afghanistan
checkpoints, roadblocks, afghanistan, taxation, taliban
checkpoints, roadblocks, afghanistan, taxation, taliban
Roadblocks and revenues: the politics of passage
checkpoints, roadblocks, somalia, myanmar, drc, florian weigand, afghanistan, taxation
Roadblocks and revenues: the politics of passage
checkpoints, roadblocks, somalia, myanmar, drc, florian weigand, afghanistan, taxation
checkpoints, roadblocks, somalia, myanmar, drc, florian weigand, afghanistan, taxation
Time for change: the normalization of corruption and diversion in the humanitarian sector
aid, humanitarian access, diversion, corruption, rebel governance, ashley jackson, afghanistan, somalia, sudan, yemen
Time for change: the normalization of corruption and diversion in the humanitarian sector
aid, humanitarian access, diversion, corruption, rebel governance, ashley jackson, afghanistan, somalia, sudan, yemen
aid, humanitarian access, diversion, corruption, rebel governance, ashley jackson, afghanistan, somalia, sudan, yemen
“Never say never:” learning lessons from Afghanistan reviews
florian weigand, afghanistan
“Never say never:” learning lessons from Afghanistan reviews
florian weigand, afghanistan
florian weigand, afghanistan
Resist, negotiate, submit? civilian agency and jihadism in Central Mali
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, climate, rebel governance, natasja rupesinghe, mali, JNIM, sahel
Resist, negotiate, submit? civilian agency and jihadism in Central Mali
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, climate, rebel governance, natasja rupesinghe, mali, JNIM, sahel
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, climate, rebel governance, natasja rupesinghe, mali, JNIM, sahel
Climate adaptation in no-man's land: bridging the conflict-climate gap
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, climate, rebel governance, ashley jackson, florian weigand, leigh mayhew, pascal bongard, negotiations, advocacy
Climate adaptation in no-man's land: bridging the conflict-climate gap
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, climate, rebel governance, ashley jackson, florian weigand, leigh mayhew, pascal bongard, negotiations, advocacy
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, climate, rebel governance, ashley jackson, florian weigand, leigh mayhew, pascal bongard, negotiations, advocacy
Citizens without states: the implications of non-recognition for people in de facto states
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, de facto authorities, somaliland, somalia, former soviet union, nagorno-karabakh, hong kong, taiwan, transnistria, northern cyprus, taliban, afghanistan, yemen, ansar allah, houthis, theo tindall
Citizens without states: the implications of non-recognition for people in de facto states
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, de facto authorities, somaliland, somalia, former soviet union, nagorno-karabakh, hong kong, taiwan, transnistria, northern cyprus, taliban, afghanistan, yemen, ansar allah, houthis, theo tindall
armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, de facto authorities, somaliland, somalia, former soviet union, nagorno-karabakh, hong kong, taiwan, transnistria, northern cyprus, taliban, afghanistan, yemen, ansar allah, houthis, theo tindall
Diverse pathways to people-centred justice
justice, armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, SDG16
Diverse pathways to people-centred justice
justice, armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, SDG16
justice, armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, SDG16
Playing the long game: exploring the relationship between Al-Shabab and civilians in areas beyond state control
ashley jackson, armed groups, al shabaab, somalia, civilian agency, civilian-armed group relations, counterterrorism
Playing the long game: exploring the relationship between Al-Shabab and civilians in areas beyond state control
ashley jackson, armed groups, al shabaab, somalia, civilian agency, civilian-armed group relations, counterterrorism
ashley jackson, armed groups, al shabaab, somalia, civilian agency, civilian-armed group relations, counterterrorism
Taliban arms management practices
ashley jackson, florian weigand, armed groups, taliban, armed group economies, weapon management, arms, afghanistan
Taliban arms management practices
ashley jackson, florian weigand, armed groups, taliban, armed group economies, weapon management, arms, afghanistan
ashley jackson, florian weigand, armed groups, taliban, armed group economies, weapon management, arms, afghanistan
Crime and communities: life under criminal group control
ashley jackson, florian weigand, theo tindall, criminal groups, typology, armed groups, crime, mexico, brazil, italy, cartels, burkina faso, civilian agency
Crime and communities: life under criminal group control
ashley jackson, florian weigand, theo tindall, criminal groups, typology, armed groups, crime, mexico, brazil, italy, cartels, burkina faso, civilian agency
ashley jackson, florian weigand, theo tindall, criminal groups, typology, armed groups, crime, mexico, brazil, italy, cartels, burkina faso, civilian agency
Understanding agency in civilian-armed group interactions
ashley jackson, florian weigand, conflict, armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, protection, humanitarian access, peacebuilding, theo tindall
Understanding agency in civilian-armed group interactions
ashley jackson, florian weigand, conflict, armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, protection, humanitarian access, peacebuilding, theo tindall
ashley jackson, florian weigand, conflict, armed groups, civilian-armed group relations, civilian agency, protection, humanitarian access, peacebuilding, theo tindall
Taliban case study - from words to deeds: ANSA practice and interpretation of IHL and human rights norms
ashley jackson, conflict, armed groups, taliban, afghanistan, IHL
Taliban case study - from words to deeds: ANSA practice and interpretation of IHL and human rights norms
ashley jackson, conflict, armed groups, taliban, afghanistan, IHL
ashley jackson, conflict, armed groups, taliban, afghanistan, IHL
Rethinking armed group control
ashley jackson, florian weigand, ibraheem bahiss, leigh mayhew, afghanistan, mali, somalia, al shabaab, JNIM, taliban, conflict, armed groups, teritorial control
Rethinking armed group control
ashley jackson, florian weigand, ibraheem bahiss, leigh mayhew, afghanistan, mali, somalia, al shabaab, JNIM, taliban, conflict, armed groups, teritorial control
ashley jackson, florian weigand, ibraheem bahiss, leigh mayhew, afghanistan, mali, somalia, al shabaab, JNIM, taliban, conflict, armed groups, teritorial control
Beyond greed: why armed groups tax
ashley jackson, florian weigand, conflict, armed groups, taxation, max gallien, tanya bandula-irwin, vanessa van den boogaard, armed group economies
Beyond greed: why armed groups tax
ashley jackson, florian weigand, conflict, armed groups, taxation, max gallien, tanya bandula-irwin, vanessa van den boogaard, armed group economies
ashley jackson, florian weigand, conflict, armed groups, taxation, max gallien, tanya bandula-irwin, vanessa van den boogaard, armed group economies
Beyond greed: why armed groups tax
florian weigand, max gallien, vanessa van den boogaard, tanya bandula-irwin, taxation, armed group economies, armed groups
Beyond greed: why armed groups tax
florian weigand, max gallien, vanessa van den boogaard, tanya bandula-irwin, taxation, armed group economies, armed groups
florian weigand, max gallien, vanessa van den boogaard, tanya bandula-irwin, taxation, armed group economies, armed groups
Taliban narratives on Al Qaeda
ashley jackson, afghanistan, taliban, conflict, armed groups, al qaeda, transnational groups, rahmatullah amiri, counterterrorism
Taliban narratives on Al Qaeda
ashley jackson, afghanistan, taliban, conflict, armed groups, al qaeda, transnational groups, rahmatullah amiri, counterterrorism
ashley jackson, afghanistan, taliban, conflict, armed groups, al qaeda, transnational groups, rahmatullah amiri, counterterrorism
MNLA Mali case study - From words to deeds: ANSA practice and interpretation of IHL and human rights norms
conflict, armed groups, IHL, mali, MNLA, pascal bongard
MNLA Mali case study - From words to deeds: ANSA practice and interpretation of IHL and human rights norms
conflict, armed groups, IHL, mali, MNLA, pascal bongard
conflict, armed groups, IHL, mali, MNLA, pascal bongard
Regulating irregular actors: can due diligence checks mitigate the risks of working with non-state and substate forces?
conflict, armed groups, afghanistan, IHL, militia, syria, iraq, erica gaston, gppi, accountability, free syrian army, new syrian forces, US, UK, syrian democratic forces, ALP, ANA-territorial force, CIA, US Special Forces, tribal mobilization force
Regulating irregular actors: can due diligence checks mitigate the risks of working with non-state and substate forces?
conflict, armed groups, afghanistan, IHL, militia, syria, iraq, erica gaston, gppi, accountability, free syrian army, new syrian forces, US, UK, syrian democratic forces, ALP, ANA-territorial force, CIA, US Special Forces, tribal mobilization force
conflict, armed groups, afghanistan, IHL, militia, syria, iraq, erica gaston, gppi, accountability, free syrian army, new syrian forces, US, UK, syrian democratic forces, ALP, ANA-territorial force, CIA, US Special Forces, tribal mobilization force
Rebel rule of law: Taliban courts in the West and North-west of Afghanistan
ashley jackson, conflict, armed groups, taliban, afghanistan, shadow governance, justice, florian weigand
Rebel rule of law: Taliban courts in the West and North-west of Afghanistan
ashley jackson, conflict, armed groups, taliban, afghanistan, shadow governance, justice, florian weigand
ashley jackson, conflict, armed groups, taliban, afghanistan, shadow governance, justice, florian weigand