ABSTRACT

Chapter 2 maps out causal mechanisms that are mobilized in civil wars. Building upon causal mechanisms that were identified in research by della Porta on clandestine political violence, the chapter addresses such factors at the onset of civil wars, focusing in particular on political destabilization, brutal policing, and social fragmentation. It then proceeds to single out activating mechanisms, such as the fluidification of borders and economic deterioration. It finally highlights the mechanisms of civil wars’ reproduction at the relational level (the activation of military networks), the emotional level (spiralling revenge), and the cognitive level (sectarian identification). These mechanisms will be discussed in the following four chapters, each devoted to a case study.