Strategies of Conversion in Armed Groups

• Applicant: Privatdozent Dr. Daniel Bultmann
• Subject Area: Sociological Theory
• Term: from 2014 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 260972996

The goal of the proposed research project is to analyze the strategies used by belligerents during the process of Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) of non-state armed groups. The study deals with the question of which strategies belligerents apply in order to secure themselves a position in an upcoming post-war society, and how they convert their former social status and their acquired resources to match with conditions in a society at peace. Without taking into account the strategies of conversion used by various social groups within the field, previous research, by contrast, largely focused on measuring the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions, their incentive systems from a perspective of a supplier, necessary socio-political and economic conditions within the receiving society, and the enhancement of DDR management. At most, within the current academic literature, strategies of belligerents only surface as potential spoilers to the peace process, that is, agents resisting demobilization and reintegration for rather unknown reasons. Based upon quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews with former commanders and soldiers, the study aims to analyze the demobilization of three guerrilla factions following the Cambodian civil war (1979-1999). A central working hypothesis of the project is that the different military ranks are recruited from different social groups, which is why each of these groups pursues distinct strategies during the process of conversion. This means that strategies of conversion are socially differentiated and, following yet another hypothesis, are routed in the habitus of the demobilized belligerents. Hence, the assumption is that social differentiations persist as incorporated behavioral schemes even during massive societal change, but demand strategies of conversion by social groups. Based upon its own habitus formation and the set of resources at its disposal, each of these groups is well prepared to handle this transition differently. Thereby, the current research project aims to deliver a sociological approach to analyze cases of successful and of failed reintegration on the part of former belligerents. Moreover, it illuminates the rationale behind the usage of different strategies of conversion and the transformation of resources by commanders and soldiers in their attempt to convert their own social status into new and peaceful social fields.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants