Doctoral Dissertation Research in Political Science: Waging War among Civilians: Patterns of Military-Civilian Interaction in the Second Intifada

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This study explores the conditions under which violence against civilians during internal conflict is enabled and controlled. It does so by analyzing Israeli soldier interactions with Palestinian civilians in the Second Intifada, 2000-2005. Interactions are examined both at the individual level and the unit level, asking why some combatants, and some units, are more violent or less violent than others, and why some resist violence altogether. The research includes in-depth interviews with former combat soldiers and army commanders of varying ranks, archival research based on media and NGO reports, and survey research of former soldiers. The study is part of an emerging research program on the micro-foundations of civil violence, still in its early stages. This study contributes to this research program in several ways. First, unlike much research on political violence, this study is not limited to lethal violence but includes a wide range of military-civilian interaction. Second, through interviews with both ordinary soldiers and higher ranked officers the investigator is better able to avoid the elitist bias which some argue characterizes much work on political violence. Finally, the study draws attention to institutional mechanisms of command and control that can limit excessive violence and to the challenges involved in implementing them. Beyond its theoretical contribution, the study has important policy implications as it suggests that civilian abuse and internal conflict are not necessarily synonymous. Variations in violence indicate that violence can be curbed and controlled, at least to some extent. An understanding of the mechanisms that limit violence can lead to better protection for civilians and more effective conflict management.