Location: The Netherlands, Amersfoort
Time: T.b.d.

Influencing local actors, why, how, and to what result? Lessons from military operations in highly fragmented societies.

In recent military operations in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Mali wars have been fought amongst the population in highly fragmented societies. Terrorists, insurgents and criminals thrive in such a social environment as they are capable of connecting to various local groups in order to create robust and resilient networks. This greatly enhances the elusive character and capabilities of such enemies and therefore it Is necessary to deny opponents such an exclusive exploitation of the local population. In this round table we will discuss the ways Western militaries have sought to gain a thorough understanding of complicated local societal landscapes, how they have sought to gain influence over the local populations and what results have been achieved. We will conclude the session by discussing the utility of these insights for securing the interests and safety of private companies operating in countries with highly fragmented societies. 

Martijn Kitzen (1978) is Assistant professor at the Netherlands Defence Academy. He is a former military officer with experience in UN and NATO operations and holds a PHD in history and a MA in Political Science. Currently he is a visiting fellow with the Changing Character of War programma at Pembroke College, University of Oxford. 

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