ORCID
0000-0003-2513-0103
Date of Award
5-8-2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Type
Dissertation
Abstract
In this dissertation, I investigate militant targeting strategies, the determinants of support for militant groups, and types of militant propaganda. First, I explore whether the participation of armed actors in peace talks influences their strategy of targeting civilians. I show that belligerents engaged in negotiations incite more combatant and fewer civilian casualties in the enemy territory immediately before a scheduled international meeting. Second, I argue and provide experimental evidence that state oppression of activism boosts support for militancy, whilst activist propaganda promoting peaceful means diminishes support for it. Third, I examine militant propaganda and argue that rebels adjust their rhetoric depending on whether they are waging a war campaign. During periods of intensified war with the state, militants use emotional rhetoric, and during comparatively peaceful periods, they use ideological rhetoric. In order to address these questions, I collected novel territorial control data and monthly militant journals, in addition to conducting an in-person list experiment using video treatments.
Language
English (en)
Chair and Committee
David Carter
Recommended Citation
Sener, Ipek Ece, "Three Essays on Dissident Behavior, Militant Propaganda and Support for Militancy" (2024). Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3057.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/3057