Conflict Dynamics

This chapter serves as an broad overview of work on "conflict dynamics". It organizes material into three categories, based on the where the impetus for a disputant’s behavior arises from: whether conflict dynamics arise from (1) the actions and reactions between actors, (2) transitions from one stage of a conflict process to another, or (3) the interplay across distinct levels of analysis. Each “origin” of conflict dynamics offers unique insights into when, why, and how conflicts evolve over time, while simultaneously lending themselves to distinct methods of analysis. Which conception is most useful depends on the researcher’s question, and the theoretical underpinnings of the researcher’s argument. Clearly theorizing the impetus’ source is essential because different sources speak to alternative empirical strategies for evaluating conflict dynamics.