Is it cohesion or diversion? Domestic instability and the use of force in international crises

Bibliographic Data

ID6299205
AuthorsCigdem V Sirin (0000-0002-3445-7047, University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Political Science, Benedict Hall 302, 500 W. University, El Paso, TX 79968, corresponding author)
Year2011
Volume32
Issue3
Pages303-321
Publication date2011-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Political Science Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0192-5121 • E-ISSN: 1460-373X
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0192512110380554
OpenAlexW2109056671
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited53

This study asserts that cohesionary — rather than diversionary — motives primarily influence the propensity of political leaders to use external force in international crises in times of domestic turmoil. Specifically, I contend that mass violence leads political leaders to engage in cohesionary tactics to achieve and maintain social order in their country for political survival. Employing random effects probit analyses with International Crisis Behavior (ICB) data for 139 countries from 1918 to 2005, I find that increased mass violence is more likely than other forms of domestic problems (be it an economic downturn or government instability) to instigate the external use of force during international crises. I also find that the impact of mass violence on the external use of force is contingent on ethno-religious heterogeneity and regime type

Cohesion (chemistry · Development economics · Economics · Government (linguistics · Macroeconomics · Political economy · Political instability · Political science · Politics · Probit · Probit model · Recession · Culture, Economy, and Development Studies · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Religion and Society Interactions

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