11 Civil Wars and Peacekeeping - Vocab

Interstate war

War between states

Civil war

A violent conflict over political aims internal to a state with at least two organized groups

Central-seeking conflicts

Conflicts over central government in which one group (ideological, religious or ethnic) wants more representation or to overthrow the government

Separatist conflicts

One group wants to secede (break away) and form its own independent state

Irredentist conflict

Once group joins up with another state

Anti-colonial conflicts

Wars fought by colonized peoples against imperial powers to achieve independence and self-determination

Peacekeeping

Solves commitment problems by keeping peace at the end of the war

Formal agreements

A political commitment to peace that invokes audience costs, both internationally and domestically

Self-oriented motivations

Motivations for fighting war due to personal gain, such as weapon empowerment, revenge, and money

Community-oriented motivations

Motivations for fighting war due to a community or cause, such as having a community tied to a group or knowing someone who was harmed by the enemy

Dummy variables

Capture whether the fighting ended with a victory by one side (victory), and whether a peace treaty was signed (treaty)

Moral hazard

When someone takes on excess risk because they don’t bear its consequences

Proxy wars

Involve outside actors