This report provides an overview of power-holders in Somalia. It finds that power is heavily concentrated in individuals rather than formal institutions. Though Somalia now features a nascent central government as well as regional polities and one secessionist government, government institutions are not the sole or even primary locus of power. Most power continues to reside in ...» more
Conflict Analyses
These Conflict Analysis reports synthesise findings and recommendations from the literature on the drivers of conflict and peace in specific contexts and the roles of domestic, regional and international actors. They usually draw on between 15-25 days of desk-based research, and they are peer reviewed by external experts.
Islamic radicalisation in North and West Africa: drivers and approaches to tackle radicalisation
This paper synthesises literature on Islamic radicalisation in North and West Africa, with a particular focus on the drivers of radicalisation and evidence on approaches that have attempted to tackle radicalisation. There is significant debate in the academic literature concerning the definition of ‘radicalisation’. For the purposes of this report, the definition of Islamic ...» more
State fragility in the Central African Republic: What prompted the 2013 coup?
In March 2013 a coalition of rebel groups – Séléka – led a violent coup in the Central African Republic (CAR), ousting the former President François Bozizé from ten years in power and instating the new President Michel Djotodia. CAR is now in the midst of a deepening humanitarian and economic crisis, compounded by violence and widespread human rights violations. This rapid ...» more
Conflict drivers, international responses, and the outlook for peace in Mali: A literature review
This literature review aims to reflect relevant empirical and policy analysis together with more up-to-date commentary on the situation in Mali, as of January 2013. The conflict in Mali is highly complex and fluid: the situation with regards to the various groups engaged in conflict is developing on a daily basis, as are the responses from local and international ...» more
The dynamics of social movements in fragile and conflict-affected states
This literature review assesses the available academic and policy-oriented literature on social movements in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. It examines who becomes involved in collective action and why, the barriers to mobilisation and, where social movements do emerge, how these are able to sustain mobilisation and broaden their membership base to reflect the ...» more