Abstract
This study examines shifting group alignments in Libya from 2011 to 2019, exploring their impact on continued conflict. Following up on our original research into group bonding among insurgents during the 2011 revolution, we conducted two surveys in Benghazi: first in 2015, during the aftermath of Operation Dignity, and again in 2019, as General Khalifa Haftar’s forces waged war against Tripoli. Our results show that the previously very strong group bonds with 2011 revolutionary fighters had dissipated by 2015, replaced by allegiance to Haftar’s militias. By 2019, this alignment extended to Haftar himself, reinforcing an “us versus them” mentality that fueled intra-state violence. Our findings highlight how shifts in strong forms of group alignment can both reflect and drive political fragmentation, with profound implications for Libya’s governance and peace prospects. More broadly, our findings contribute to the study of how group loyalties shape and sustain civil conflicts, offering insight into the psychological mechanisms underlying failed state dynamics.
Recommended Citation
Michael D. Buhrmester, William B. Swann Jr., Brian McQuinn, Alexis Everington, Layal Hafid, and Harvey Whitehouse
(2025)
"Examining Shifts in Group-Based Motivations for Civil Conflicts in Libya,"
New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 37:
Iss.
1, Article 10.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/nejpp/vol37/iss1/10