The effect of external interventions on Civil War duration

Abstract

This study aims to explore the impact of third-party interventions on the duration of civil wars, which are characterized by varying durations ranging from a few days to several decades. So under what conditions can third party interventions shorten the duration of civil wars? To address this research objective, two primary hypotheses have been identified to guide the investigation: (1) the effect of regional versus non-regional interventions, (2) the influence of neighboring versus distant interventions, in reducing the duration of civil wars. To provide a comprehensive examination of this phenomenon, a systematic review of the existing literature has been undertaken, employing quantitative and qualitative research methods. The insights obtained from this study will significantly contribute to the discourse on the role of external actors in resolving civil conflicts by highlighting the conditions under which third-party interventions are most effective in reducing the duration of civil wars. These findings hold valuable implications for the design and implementation of future intervention strategies and for the broader theoretical and empirical debates on the effectiveness of third-party interventions in resolving civil conflicts.