ABSTRACT
The study of civil war has evolved considerably, including attention to paramilitaries, militias, and related armed groups. From case-driven qualitative research to quantitative data sets, there is new interest in the formation, behaviour, and effects of paramilitaries. However, how we conceptualize such groups remains muddled. Scholars remain wedded to national dynamics, seeing paramilitaries as pro-government while overlooking localized power. The goals of paramilitaries are often assumed instead of examined. This chapter seeks to challenge dominant views of paramilitaries by providing an inventory of sorts across Southeast Asia. In a region known for its diversity, paramilitary forces are immensely varied. Many are pro-government or pro-state, while others are neutral, opposed, or simply ambiguous. In many cases, paramilitaries are loyal to local power brokers, businessmen with access to capital or regional minority groups. Paramilitaries across Southeast Asia possess complex loyalties and fluid identities, challenging dominant views that they are pro-government.
