Insurgency Group

Insurgency group is a social movement that uses violence to challenge a state or its institutions. Unlike the more common guerilla groups, which are usually small and focused on local objectives, insurgents seek wider political change. They often adopt a broad ideological framework to attract potential recruits, but they also adapt their strategy over time to match military and nonmilitary goals with local conditions. In addition, the original structure of insurgent groups depends on prewar social networks, such as political parties, religious associations, and student or family ties (Medellin Perez, 2018).

As a result, these groups can become increasingly fragmented over time. Vanguard insurgent groups are the most dangerous because they seek to destabilize a country by directly challenging its state, but they may have little local support. Moreover, they are vulnerable to internal disloyalty and revolts from below. For example, Che Guevara’s attempt to overthrow the government of Bolivia ended in failure when his local units abandoned him (Cultural Politics of Revolution, p. 218).

Alternatively, insurgents can organize into parochial factions with power bases concentrated in specific regions. Such insurgencies resemble militarized coalitions, but they lack central cohesion and can be difficult to reform. The Jaish al-Mahdi in Iraq and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan are examples of such groups. Lastly, some insurgencies are multipolar, with several competing factions that prioritize different goals, such as the Somali Civil War. In all these cases, individuals must decide to which of these groups they will devote their efforts. The choice is influenced by peer pressure, older attachments, and rivalries—as well as the threat of capture by a state military force.