Understanding Non-Participation in Armed Groups during the Sri Lankan Civil War.

The article examines the reasons behind individual non-participation in armed groups during civil wars, specifically focusing on the Sri Lankan civil war and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Through interviews with Tamil civilians and former LTTE members, it identifies five key mechanisms influencing non-participation: lack of opportunity, embeddedness in disapproving networks, resource activation, resilience, and determination. These mechanisms highlight the interplay between individual choices and broader social and political contexts, emphasizing how varying local conditions and social ties shape decisions against joining militant groups. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of micro-mobilization processes and the complex dynamics of participation and non-participation in conflict settings. [Extracted from the article]