Blood Revenge in Irregular Warfare: Causes and Consequences of a Lingering Custom

This book offers an original assessment of how the sociocultural code of blood revenge and its modern remnants shape irregular warfare. It draws upon extensive multidisciplinary evidence to analyze the impact of blood revenge and its modern remnants on civil war and insurgency, providing unprecedented insights into how a better understanding of blood revenge can improve military blueprints for irregular warfare. It will be of much interest to students of insurgency, terrorism, military and strategic studies, anthropology, and sociology, as well as to decision-makers and irregular warfare professionals.

Format: Hardback
Length: 108 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Despite being a prevalent factor in communal violence, blood revenge has garnered limited scholarly attention. Given the prevalence of civil wars and insurgencies in regions where this custom persists, enhancing our understanding of blood revenge is crucial in comprehending the dynamics of conflicts and their evolution. Drawing upon a comprehensive multidisciplinary evidence base, this book stands as the pioneering work in the field of civil war and insurgency to examine the influence of blood revenge and its contemporary manifestations on irregular warfare. Even as blood revenge undergoes dilution, its unregulated version continues to shape the social fabric of insurgencies, albeit in distinct manners compared to its institutionalized counterpart. During periods of political instability, the presence of a culture of retaliation exerts a significant impact on the dynamics of violent mobilization, target selection, recruitment, and disengagement. This book presents evidence from dozens of conflicts, offering unparalleled insights into how a deeper comprehension of blood revenge can enhance military strategies for irregular warfare.

This book holds immense appeal to students engaged in the study of insurgency, terrorism, military and strategic studies, anthropology, and sociology, as well as to decision-makers and professionals involved in irregular warfare.

Weight: 242g
Dimension: 143 x 224 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032481227