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9780197520802

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Though scholars, practitioners, and industry officials alike have increasingly paid attention to the modern use of civilian contractors on the battlefield for much of the past two decades, until now we have lacked a systematic, large-n data-driven analysis of whether, how, and to what extent private military and security contractors can help to end wars. In this book, Akcinaroglu and Radziszewski do just that, highlighting that PMSCs can positively contribute to conflict termination through multiple mechanisms. A must-read for those interested in conflict dynamics and the future global security landscape. -- Molly Dunigan, Senior Political Scientist, RAND Corporation, and Lecturer, Carnegie Mellon University In their incisive book, Akcinaroglu and Radziszewski examine a little studied, but historically pervasive, phenomenon of civil war the role of mercenary armies. Considering these organizations in their modern guise as private military and security companies, the authors formulate an innovative market-based model of PMSCs grounded in the level of global competition in the PMSC industry, as well as local competition between PMSCs in a conflict zone. The book is a must-read for scholars interested in the role of non-state actors on conflict dynamics, precisely because it corrects for the contemporary over-emphasis on rebel groups. -- Andrew J. Enterline, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of North Texas This book is a much needed corrective from the frequently sensationalistic treatment of private military and security companies. By providing novel insights on the role of competition on the market for force, introducing an original dataset and employing rigorous statistical tools, Akcinaroglu and Radziszewski provide a compelling analysis of PMSCs' contribution to conflict termination and prompt the reader to rethink the relationship between commercial actors and civil war. -- Ulrich Petersohn, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in International Politics, University of Liverpool

Author Information

Seden Akcinaroglu is an Associate Professor at Binghamton University. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Battle for Allegiance Governments, Terrorist Groups, and Constituencies in Conflict (University of Michigan Press). Her research on civil wars, terrorism and international conflict has been published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research and International Interactions. Elizabeth Radziszewski is an Assistant Professor at Rider University and Resident Fellow for 2020-2021 at Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at U.S. Naval Academy. She is the author of Social Networks and Public Support for the European Union (Routledge, 2013). Her research on civil wars, international conflict, foreign policy, and innovation has been published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution, Wilson Quarterly, Political Research Quarterly, Foreign Policy Analysis, Journal of Global Security Studies, and International Interaction.

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