Paramilitary Groups and the State under Globalization: Political Violence, Elites, and Security

This book explores the phenomenon of paramilitarism across different regions, shedding light on its implications for capital accumulation, state-building, and social power reproduction. It integrates empirical investigations into a theory of political violence and highlights the role of parastatal armed actors, capital, and the state in perpetuating violence. Suitable for academics, students, and policy-makers, the book appeals to scholars from various disciplines.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 314 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Paramilitarism is a complex phenomenon that has been observed across various regions of the world, including Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. This book offers a comprehensive examination of paramilitarism, providing a nuanced perspective while identifying key patterns in the way that paramilitary violence is implicated in processes of capital accumulation, state-building, and the reproduction of social power.

Paramilitary violence, as a key modality of coercion in the era of globalization, has been pursued by states and dominant classes in the Global South to reproduce or extend their power over subaltern groups. Paramilitary groups have been responsible for a range of atrocities, including extrajudicial executions, disappearances, torture, rape, and forced displacement. The book integrates empirically rich investigations into an emergent theory of political violence, capturing the relationship between parastatal armed actors, capital, and the state.

The analysis sheds light on globally relevant phenomena such as the end of the Cold War, the shifting role of US hegemony, and the evolving nature of the nation-state. The book is suitable for academics, graduate and upper-year undergraduate students, and policy-makers in development, human rights, and violence prevention. Given its interdisciplinary subject, it appeals to scholars from a wide range of disciplines, including political science, sociology, political anthropology, development, peace and conflict, security and terrorism, international relations, and global studies.

In conclusion, this book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of paramilitarism and its implications for social, political, and economic development in the Global South and beyond. Its interdisciplinary approach and rich empirical evidence make it an essential read for scholars and practitioners interested in this critical field.

Weight: 621g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032154985