Author(s): Mathew Cancian, Kristin E. Fabbe 

Status/Format: In Progress

Date: 2021

The Desire for Revenge in Intractable Conflicts: Survey Evidence from Soldiers in the War against the Islamic State

 

Abstract: 

What motivates combatants to seek vengeance during an ongoing conflict? Using an original survey of 2,301 Peshmerga soldiers during their war against the Islamic State (IS), we test a series of interlocking hypotheses about what motivates the desire for revenge amongst active combatants during a civil war, including the perceived perpetrator’s ethnic affiliation, their level of personal responsibility for violence, and their nationality. Furthermore, we examine whether or not the narrative framing of past violence can affect the desire for vengeance.

 

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