Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewEvan Perkoski has delivered an impressive study of why militant group fragmentation can produce such profoundly different patterns of violence. His answer is novel, rigorous, and elegant—how and why the splinter groups break away determines how they behave in their next incarnation. A truly fascinating and persuasive read. * Erica Chenoweth, Harvard University *
This well-conceived analysis, buttressed by careful use of evidence, answers vexing questions about the fragmentation of militant organizations that are of interest to both scholars and policymakers. Perkoski links the formation of splinter groups to their subsequent behavior and undermines the commonly held assumption that offshoots are more radical than the original group. * Martha Crenshaw, Stanford University and Wesleyan University *
An admirably systematic exploration of the intra-organizational dynamics of terrorism. Original, serious-minded, and fascinating. * Richard English, Queen's University Belfast, and author of Does Terrorism Work? A History *
This book is an important addition to the literature on rebel group fragmentation. It offers a novel, nuanced argument and backs up its claims with a variety of tests. It also draws on new primary source material for the Irish Republican Army case study. This is essential reading for students, researchers, and practitioners studying why and how violent groups fragment. At times, Perkoski uses technical or specialized language that may be difficult for general readers to grasp. * Choice *
Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. How Armed Groups Divide 3. Conflict in Northern Ireland: Contrasting Republican Splinter Groups 4. Statistically Evaluating How Splinter Groups Emerge and Behave 5. Creating a Menace: Al Qaeda and the Islamic State 6. Conclusions, Implications, and Future Research Appendix
