“Sarah Daly argues that organizational characteristics of armed groups in Colombia strongly affect whether they remilitarize after a peace agreement. Their extensive ties enable members of local groups to remilitarize, but members of non-local groups disperse and lose this capacity. Networks and geography are more important than access to weapons, which is almost universal. Daly's extraordinary fieldwork with extremely violent former group members provides convincing quantitative and qualitative support for this important argument. Organized Violence after Civil War is an extraordinary work of political science.”

Robert O. KeohanePrinceton University

“Organized Violence after Civil War explores why some – but not all – armed groups remilitarize after demobilization. Daly argues that the explanation lies in the geography of recruitment – whether the group recruited members from the locale where it was deployed – and in its strategic interaction with other groups after conflict’s end. She shows that her theory accounts for why about half of Colombia’s three dozen paramilitary groups remobilized, drawing on a wide range of data, from interviews with imprisoned leaders to surveys of demobilized combatants to unpublished government documents. This is an extraordinary achievement based on remarkable field research over several years.”

Elisabeth Jean WoodYale University, Connecticut

“This study provides a novel and thoughtful explanation of an important question for societies emerging from warfare – why do some groups silence their guns after agreeing to peace, while others remilitarize and return to violence? The argument highlights the role of the geography of recruitment – whether militant groups recruit and deploy fighters locally or from farther afield. The theory put forth is both parsimonious and subtle, and the empirical evidence adduced for it from the case of paramilitary groups in Colombia is extremely impressive. This book is certainly a must-read for any scholar of Colombia or any scholar of paramilitaries, but it will also find an important audience among scholars interested in the complicated dynamics of civil conflict and the behavior of non-state actors as they navigate the often stormy seas of post conflict transition.”

Virginia Page FortnaColumbia University, New York

“Civil wars have a strong tendency to recur, yet we know little about why. Drawing on a stunning array of data from extensive fieldwork in Colombia, Sarah Zukerman Daly shows that the geography of armed group recruitment explains why countries at peace slip back into violence. Groups that recruit locally remain cohesive after wars end whereas groups that recruit outside their own region wither away as their members depart. Regions comprised of locally based groups thus maintain a stable and peaceful balance of power, whereas regions where local groups neighbor non-local groups become unstable and prone to violence. Anyone seeking to understand the recurrence of violence a!er civil war should read this excellent book.”

Alexander B. DownesGeorge Washington University, Washington DC

“This is an impressive book in its breadth and comprehensive approach to the question of why violent political parties receive significant support in postwar elections, even when they have committed abuses against the citizenry.”

Susan D. HydeUniversity of California, Berkeley

“A tour de force. Drawing on an original and counterintuitive theoretical argument and superb research methods, Daly addresses the puzzle of how political parties that commit mass atrocities in civil war win free and fair postwar elections. Violent Victors is an outstanding book.”

Scott MainwaringUniversity of Notre Dame

“In elections after civil wars, why do many voters support parties that engaged in mass violence against civilians? Sarah Zukerman Daly provides a surprising and compelling answer: the most ruthless fighters in war are perceived to be the political leaders most willing and able to keep the peace afterward. This is an important book.”

Scott SaganStanford University

“In this masterful book, Daly reveals why citizens vote for political parties known to have committed atrocities in war. It is not due to fear, coercion, ideology, or ignorance. Instead, it is the result of a desperate desire for stability and security. Highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding why voters would reward paramilitary groups, violent militias, and warlords with political power.”

Barbara WalterUniversity of California, San Diego

“Daly marshals an extraordinary array of perspectives and diversity of evidence, weaving them together in a powerful and compelling narrative. This is essential reading for both scholars and practitioners working on postwar politics.”

Jeremy WeinsteinStanford University