Jenniina Kotajoki: Global Pariahs or Local Partners?: The United Nations’ Engagement with Non-State Armed Groups

Abstract

Non-state armed groups (NSAGs) are key actors in contemporary conflicts and play an increasingly significant role in international politics. While engaging non-coercively with NSAGs poses challenges for state-centric international organizations, actors operating in conflict contexts, protecting civilians, and enhancing international security must contend with their presence and influence. This dissertation examines how, why, and under what conditions the United Nations (UN) engages with NSAGs through four interrelated essays, analyzing both global-level dynamics within the UN Security Council and local-level interactions in peace operations. The essays are theoretically informed empirical studies that utilize unique observational, textual, survey, and interview data, analyzed through both qualitative and quantitative methods.

Essay I develops a novel typology of UN-NSAG interactions in peace operations, categorizing them along two dimensions: thematic fields and the nature of interaction, ranging from confrontation to cooperation. It documents variations across two mission contexts, revealing that coordination and cooperation often occur across various thematic fields even amid conflict and political instability. Essay II examines high-level diplomatic engagement through the Security Council’s practice of naming and shaming NSAGs. The study finds that NSAGs are named almost as frequently as states. It proposes and tests two explanatory theories, concluding that naming and shaming serves both as a normative commitment and a strategic tool in global governance. Essay III explores local-level UN-NSAG engagement, arguing that the UN’s willingness to build relationships with civilians shapes these interactions. Focusing on Southern Lebanon, it demonstrates that non-coercive engagement is more likely when NSAGs govern, have local support, or when the UN fears backlash from populations closely tied to these groups. Essay IV investigates peacekeepers' perceptions of “local actors”, drawing on surveys and interviews with Swedish personnel in Mali. Findings suggest that NSAGs significantly influence peacekeepers' understanding of local actors and highlight the importance of including them, along with other local actors, in peacekeeping efforts. 

Collectively, this dissertation contributes to understanding how NSAGs influence both global governance and local conflict dynamics and how international organizations respond to conflicts through non-coercive means. It offers insights for research on international organizations, conflict management, and local orders in civil wars.