---
product_id: 361839872
title: "The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)"
price: "¥17612"
currency: JPY
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 5
url: https://www.desertcart.jp/products/361839872-the-logic-of-violence-in-civil-war-cambridge-studies-in
store_origin: JP
region: Japan
---

# The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)

**Price:** ¥17612
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)
- **How much does it cost?** ¥17612 with free shipping
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## Description

By analytically decoupling war and violence, this book explores the causes and dynamics of violence in civil war. Against the prevailing view that such violence is an instance of impenetrable madness, the book demonstrates that there is logic to it and that it has much less to do with collective emotions, ideologies, and cultures than currently believed. Kalyvas specifies a novel theory of selective violence: it is jointly produced by political actors seeking information and individual civilians trying to avoid the worst but also grabbing what opportunities their predicament affords them. Violence, he finds, is never a simple reflection of the optimal strategy of its users; its profoundly interactive character defeats simple maximization logics while producing surprising outcomes, such as relative nonviolence in the 'frontlines' of civil war.

Review: The best book on civil war violence out there! - Kalyvas"s logic of violence in civil war is a superbly researched account of what causes violence in civil war and how state and non state actors are likely to use violence in certain situations. Like the author, I have also been deeply disturbed by the fact that civil wars can turn family, friends, and neighbors against each other, causing violence between those who have the closest relationships. The author logically explains this disturbing phenomenon as a function of predominately private conflicts, and revenge played out using either the incumbent (government) or insurgent forces as agents of violence. Ordinary citizens are unlikely to engage in violence themselves but often denounce or inform on their neighbors to either the government or insurgent side to remove a business rival, resolve a personal conflict, or settle a family feud. This disturbing facet of civil wars suggest that personal conflict and petty grievances play a major and often overlooked role in causing violence beyond the more cited social, ideological, and political reasons. The author's research also suggest that the presence of permanent military forces by one party in a town ensures and leads to control over an area regardless of that areas animosity towards the occupier. As a civil war drags on most people tend to cooperate with the party that has local supremacy regardless of political and ideological beliefs because they want to survive and see the violence end. This point is especially important for counterinsurgents because it suggests that control and local supremacy may be more important that "hearts and minds" campaigns that are intended to shift political allegiance. The book shows that this phenomenon is not unique to a certain war or culture but that it has occurred in nearly every civil war. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the dynamics of violence in civil war and insurgencies and counterinsurgency. This book is not an easy read and I only recommend this book to readers who have had read extensively about civil wars and have a vested interest in understanding what takes place. For those who read the book, it will challenge the most commonly held views on what causes violence in a civil war and may change your perspective on human nature.
Review: Important work - Wonderfully provocative and challenging

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #266,424 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #540 in Government (Books) #1,667 in Political Theory #6,274 in Society & Culture (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 62 Reviews |

## Images

![The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71fOFYTv0cL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best book on civil war violence out there!
*by L***D on 3 June 2017*

Kalyvas"s logic of violence in civil war is a superbly researched account of what causes violence in civil war and how state and non state actors are likely to use violence in certain situations. Like the author, I have also been deeply disturbed by the fact that civil wars can turn family, friends, and neighbors against each other, causing violence between those who have the closest relationships. The author logically explains this disturbing phenomenon as a function of predominately private conflicts, and revenge played out using either the incumbent (government) or insurgent forces as agents of violence. Ordinary citizens are unlikely to engage in violence themselves but often denounce or inform on their neighbors to either the government or insurgent side to remove a business rival, resolve a personal conflict, or settle a family feud. This disturbing facet of civil wars suggest that personal conflict and petty grievances play a major and often overlooked role in causing violence beyond the more cited social, ideological, and political reasons. The author's research also suggest that the presence of permanent military forces by one party in a town ensures and leads to control over an area regardless of that areas animosity towards the occupier. As a civil war drags on most people tend to cooperate with the party that has local supremacy regardless of political and ideological beliefs because they want to survive and see the violence end. This point is especially important for counterinsurgents because it suggests that control and local supremacy may be more important that "hearts and minds" campaigns that are intended to shift political allegiance. The book shows that this phenomenon is not unique to a certain war or culture but that it has occurred in nearly every civil war. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the dynamics of violence in civil war and insurgencies and counterinsurgency. This book is not an easy read and I only recommend this book to readers who have had read extensively about civil wars and have a vested interest in understanding what takes place. For those who read the book, it will challenge the most commonly held views on what causes violence in a civil war and may change your perspective on human nature.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Important work
*by M***T on 19 October 2025*

Wonderfully provocative and challenging

### ⭐ Damaged book
*by C***Z on 9 January 2021*

I spend a lot of money on books and they often come in a poor condition. I have spent a long time trying to acquire this specific book and it came scuffed up and with apparent water damage. This is unacceptable.

## Frequently Bought Together

- The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)
- Inside Rebellion: The Politics of Insurgent Violence (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)
- What Do We Know about Civil Wars?

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*Product available on Desertcart Japan*
*Store origin: JP*
*Last updated: 2026-10-14*