The Study of Political Conflict and Violence Is Dead . . . Long Live the Study of Political Conflict and Violence!: Resurrecting and Centering Government-Challenger Interaction

Abstract

The study of political conflict and violence has grown immensely over the past fifty years, but it has also fragmented as many now explore only single branches of the ever-larger tree. This article attempts to reflect on the paths that scholars have taken and discusses one particular path that could help to reunify the field. This path would provide key insights into what has transpired in the field as well as into how scholars should approach trying to understand the study of political conflict and violence moving forward.