Transnational Dynamics of Civil War (SWP 1)

This paper sets the theoretical and methodological framework for a collection of essays on transnational dimensions of civil war. The author begins with a review of recent research that establishes the transnational nature of civil war as premise and identifies key puzzles to be addressed. He then argues that progress in addressing these puzzles requires a two-fold analytic-theoretical move – to the language and practice of causal mechanisms and to theories of transnationalism. The claim is that work on transnational politics offers specific ways to make operational the often vague diffusion mechanism invoked in much of the civil war literature. Next, he connects the analytics and theory to data by focusing on method, advancing a roster of techniques for conducting mechanism-based social science and suggesting appropriate community standards for doing it well. He concludes by previewing the other essays in the collection.