Civil Wars, Global Disorder, and the Future of the International System

Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, among others, are a painful reminder that civil wars continue to be a frequent and debilitating phenomenon in international politics. Today, there are some thirty civil wars around the world, with the average duration of conflicts increasing over the past twenty years. Many of these contemporary civil wars are the sources of immense human suffering and regional insecurity, some giving rise to large human exoduses and uncontrollable refugee spillover. Contributors to the special issues of Dædalus on “Civil Wars, Violence, and International Responses” discussed the effects of civil wars on the international order and the potential mitigation strategies available to the international community.

Listen to the full event on the Freeman Spogli Institute’s podcast “World Class.”