Who Owns War?
The State and the Role of Non-State (Armed) Actors in Modern Warfare
Published on 18. November 2025
Book
Hardback
448 pages
978-90-8728-464-0 (ISBN)
Description
This book provides a critical assessment of the broadly held view that states 'own' war. The central theme of the book is that the persistence of non-state actors in historical as well as contemporary conflicts challenges this narrative. It takes a multidisciplinary approach to address a host of questions concerning the role of non-state actors, both armed and unarmed, in conflict and their relationship with states. Recurring themes are issues of loyalty, accountability and effectiveness. Part I is subdivided into two separate themes. The first is the use of civilians in war from a legal and military operational perspective, the second the question of loyalty and accountability of the private sector. Part II considers the cases of several non-state armed actors from the past and the present, showcasing the variety of actors and roles they play. Together, the contributions to this book provide an important new perspective on the role of non-state (armed) actors in war.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Illustrations
20 farbige Abbildungen
20 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
ISBN-13
978-90-8728-464-0 (9789087284640)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Monica den Boer is professor of Military Policing Operations at the Netherlands Defence Academy and professor by special appointment in Policing Studies at the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs at Leiden University.
Jan Willem Honig was professor of International Security Studies at the Netherlands Defence Academy until his retirement in 2025. Prior to this, he taught for many years in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, where he remains a visiting professor.
Marten Zwanenburg is professor of Military Law in the Faculty of Military Sciences of the Netherlands Defence Academy and at the University of Amsterdam.
Joep Aarts is a captain in the Royal Netherlands Army Legal Service and currently posted as a lecturer in military law at the Netherlands Defence Academy.
Jan Willem Honig was professor of International Security Studies at the Netherlands Defence Academy until his retirement in 2025. Prior to this, he taught for many years in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, where he remains a visiting professor.
Marten Zwanenburg is professor of Military Law in the Faculty of Military Sciences of the Netherlands Defence Academy and at the University of Amsterdam.
Joep Aarts is a captain in the Royal Netherlands Army Legal Service and currently posted as a lecturer in military law at the Netherlands Defence Academy.
Content
List of abbreviations;
List of Illustrations, Maps and Tables;
Introduction - Jan Willem Honig, Monica den Boer, Marten Zwanenburg & Joep Aarts;
Part I: Categories of Non-State (Armed) Actors in War;
1. The Strategic Cohesion of Organised Armed Groups: Towards a Historically Informed Socio-Normative Approach - Jan Willem Honig;
2. The Diversification of Civilian Agency in Armed Conflict and the Protection of Civilians under International Humanitarian Law - Arjen Vermeer & Steven van der Put;
3. The Resistance Operating Concept: Towards Modern-Day People's War - Martijn Rouvroije;
4. Fuelling Instability in the Ukraine War: The Questionable Loyalty of Non-State Actors in Cyberspace - Peter Pijpers & Lotte Nietzman;
5. How Iranian Weapons' Technology Increases Ansar Allah's Reach - Ralph Savelsberg, Mark Voskuijl & Frederik Mertens;
6. Information and Communications Technology Companies on the Battlefield: Explanations and Implications -Eric Pouw, Paul Ducheine, Peter Pijpers & Kraesten Arnold;
7. Private Non-State Actors as Norm-Keepers in Armed Conflict: The Role of the Private Sector in Ensuring Compliance with International Humanitarian Law - Marten Zwanenburg;
8. Navigating Non-State Dynamics: A Literature Review on Private Military and Security Companies - Erik de Waard, Bart Wielders, Michael Rustenhoven & Chiel Conijn;
9. Expansion or Restraint? China's Use of Private Military and Security Companies along the 'Belt and Road Initiative' in Asia and Africa - Thijs Cremers & Maarten Rothman;
10. Can the Impact of Non-State Actors Be Predicted? Impressions of Contemporary Approaches to War Forecasting - Hans Melissen & Peter Schuur;
Part II: Cases of Non-State (Armed) Actors in War;
11. Fighting or Writing? Dutch Volunteers in the Anglo-Boer War: Motivation, Loyalty, Effectiveness and Self-Representation - Henk de Jong;
12. The Pope's Divisions on the March: Soft Power and the Catholic Church - Theo Brinkel;
13. The Battle for Recognition: National Liberation Movements and Military Assistance during the Decolonization of Southern Africa - Tycho van der Hoog;
14. Fighting the State: The Comparative Advantages and Disadvantages of the Tamil Tigers in Their Separatist Struggle against the Sri Lankan Government - Georg Frerks;
15. Cohesion and Conflict Outcomes in Nagorno-Karabakh - Feike Fliervoet;
General Bibliography
List of Illustrations, Maps and Tables;
Introduction - Jan Willem Honig, Monica den Boer, Marten Zwanenburg & Joep Aarts;
Part I: Categories of Non-State (Armed) Actors in War;
1. The Strategic Cohesion of Organised Armed Groups: Towards a Historically Informed Socio-Normative Approach - Jan Willem Honig;
2. The Diversification of Civilian Agency in Armed Conflict and the Protection of Civilians under International Humanitarian Law - Arjen Vermeer & Steven van der Put;
3. The Resistance Operating Concept: Towards Modern-Day People's War - Martijn Rouvroije;
4. Fuelling Instability in the Ukraine War: The Questionable Loyalty of Non-State Actors in Cyberspace - Peter Pijpers & Lotte Nietzman;
5. How Iranian Weapons' Technology Increases Ansar Allah's Reach - Ralph Savelsberg, Mark Voskuijl & Frederik Mertens;
6. Information and Communications Technology Companies on the Battlefield: Explanations and Implications -Eric Pouw, Paul Ducheine, Peter Pijpers & Kraesten Arnold;
7. Private Non-State Actors as Norm-Keepers in Armed Conflict: The Role of the Private Sector in Ensuring Compliance with International Humanitarian Law - Marten Zwanenburg;
8. Navigating Non-State Dynamics: A Literature Review on Private Military and Security Companies - Erik de Waard, Bart Wielders, Michael Rustenhoven & Chiel Conijn;
9. Expansion or Restraint? China's Use of Private Military and Security Companies along the 'Belt and Road Initiative' in Asia and Africa - Thijs Cremers & Maarten Rothman;
10. Can the Impact of Non-State Actors Be Predicted? Impressions of Contemporary Approaches to War Forecasting - Hans Melissen & Peter Schuur;
Part II: Cases of Non-State (Armed) Actors in War;
11. Fighting or Writing? Dutch Volunteers in the Anglo-Boer War: Motivation, Loyalty, Effectiveness and Self-Representation - Henk de Jong;
12. The Pope's Divisions on the March: Soft Power and the Catholic Church - Theo Brinkel;
13. The Battle for Recognition: National Liberation Movements and Military Assistance during the Decolonization of Southern Africa - Tycho van der Hoog;
14. Fighting the State: The Comparative Advantages and Disadvantages of the Tamil Tigers in Their Separatist Struggle against the Sri Lankan Government - Georg Frerks;
15. Cohesion and Conflict Outcomes in Nagorno-Karabakh - Feike Fliervoet;
General Bibliography