Of Civil Wars and Where They Lead: Some Reflections

Abstract

The issue as to what constitutes a “civil war” is an interesting one. The idea that it is something more than an armed conflict is very useful as it allows us to understand those forms of attenuated civil conflict and discord in a more profound way. “Civil wars,” understood as chronic civil conflict, can last for decades, even centuries, with low-level conflict reaching crises that result in violence from time to time.