Unique offerings: Ideological competition and rebel governance

Seden Akcinaroglu, Jeremy Berkowitz, Carlos E. Moreno Leon, Sema Hande Ogutcu-Fu, Evgeny Sedashov and Efe Tokdemir
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Seden Akcinaroglu: Department of Political Science, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
Jeremy Berkowitz: Division of Social Sciences, 6717Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, USA
Carlos E. Moreno Leon: Department of Political Science, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
Sema Hande Ogutcu-Fu: Department of Political Science, Lincoln University, PA, USA
Evgeny Sedashov: School of Politics and Governance, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
Efe Tokdemir: Department of International Relations, 52948Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey

Conflict Management and Peace Science, 2025, vol. 42, issue 6, 690-712

Abstract: This study examines the factors influencing non-state armed actors’ (NSAAs) ability and willingness to implement rebel governance, with a focus on the group's ideological distinction from adversaries and the government. We argue that a unique ideology acts as an effective branding tool, enhancing governance success as constituents recognize and align with it. This ideology allows NSAAs to offer a distinct social contract to their followers with minimal risk, fostering strong relationships with their constituents, and hence benefits from such governance. We propose that rebel governance increases when NSAAs are ideologically distinct from other armed factions and the state. We validate our hypotheses using the Rebel Quasi-State Institutions dataset, an original dataset on armed groups’ ideologies, and the Database for Political Institutions for government ideology. This study is the first to explore the link between an armed group's distinct ideology and its governance capacity in multi-party settings, and offers a novel contribution to the burgeoning literature on group ideology and rebel governance.

Keywords: Competition with government; inter-rebel competition; rebel governance; rebel ideology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:compsc:v:42:y:2025:i:6:p:690-712

DOI: 10.1177/07388942241303397

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