Title : Beyond a ‘rational violence’ framework: Psychological causes of civil war violence
Date : May 2003
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Abstract : Based on Working Paper no.14: David Keen, 'Since I am a dog, beware my fangs: Beyond a 'rational violence' framework in the Sierra Leonean war.' It is intended to provide a summary of the principal findings, and an indication of the implications these may have for debates over policy.
In his paper, David Keen goes beyond the confines of a 'rational violence' framework and proposes a model that helps to explain the occurrence of widespread violence against civilians during a civil war. In assessing violence induced by military soldiers and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in Sierra Leone, Keen's three-stage model suggests that violence may be a product of human emotions, such as shame, anger and fear. The emotions and views of combatants need to be taken seriously if abuses are to be minimised.