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Cited by 98Political Conflict and GovernanceMilitary History and StrategyPeacebuilding and International Security

How Insurgency Begins: Rebel Group Formation in Uganda and Beyond

Lewis, Janet I.·2020·Cambridge University Press eBooks
DOI 10.1017/9781108855969
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Abstract

How and why do rebel groups initially form? Prevailing scholarship has attributed the emergence of armed rebellion to the explosion of pre-mobilized political or ethnic hostilities. However, this book finds both uncertainty and secrecy shrouding the start of insurgency in weak states. Examining why only some incipient armed rebellions succeed in becoming viable challengers to governments, How Insurgency Begins shows that rumors circulating in places where rebel groups form can influence civilians' perceptions of both rebels and the state. By revealing the connections between villagers' trusted network structures and local ethnic demography, Janet I. Lewis shows how ethnic networks facilitate the spread of pro-rebel rumors. This in-depth analysis of conflicts in Uganda and neighbouring states speaks to scholars and policymakers seeking to understand the motives and actions of those initiating armed rebellion, those witnessing the process in their community, and those trying to stop it.

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Crossref · 10.1017/9781108855969

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14 of 14 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Research on rebellion makes similar claims: the within-network spread of information and resources is thought to be critical.

    “Research on rebellion, another form of collective action in which dissidents seek policy or regime change, makes similar claims.The within-network spread of information and resources-such as through dense quotidian ties and homogenous ethnic networks-is thought to be critical(Lewis 2020;Parkinson 2013).”

    From Coordinated Dis-Coordination (2024) · cites this paper as Lewis 2020

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Authors
Lewis, J. I.
Affiliations
George Washington University (US)
Corresponding author
Lewis, Janet I.
ORCID
Lewis, Janet I.
Venue
Cambridge University Press eBooks
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Published
2020-09-18
DOI
10.1017/9781108855969
OpenAlex
W3088529139
Cited by
98
References
14
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 4
FWCI
15.56
Type
book
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified)
Locations
Cambridge University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Political Conflict and Governance
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Military History and Strategy
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Peacebuilding and International Security
Keywords
armed insurgency, rumors, rumor propagation, ethnic networks, social networks, weak states, ethnic demography, Uganda

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