Abstract
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It is clear that the end of the cold war did not usher in a period of peace in
the world. Quite the opposite: Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin
America and even Europe have all endured armed conflicts since 1990.
The vast bulk of these have been internal wars. Of the ninety-six armed
conflicts that occurred between 1989 and 1996, only five were between
states. This trend became even more pronounced in the 2000s. As one
major survey notes, '[w]hat stands out in the 21st century is the lack of
large-scale interstate conflict.' Thus, of fourteen armed conflicts recorded
in 2014, only one was between states; the rest occurred within states?
This chapter explores causes, character and conduct of internal armed
conflicts since 1990 and the effects on civilian populations ...