TY - JOUR
T1 - Rebel Governance and Legitimacy
T2 - Understanding the Impact of Rebel Legitimation on Civilian Compliance with the LTTE Rule
AU - Terpstra, N.M.
AU - Frerks, G.E.
PY - 2017/10/29
Y1 - 2017/10/29
N2 - Based on extensive fieldwork in Sri Lanka, we analyze how the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) acquired legitimacy and how legitimation impacts civilian perceptions of the rebels. Despite the LTTE’s reliance on coercion to induce compliance, civilians also supported the LTTE and their imagined state of Tamil Eelam voluntarily. Different LTTE strategies and acts helped creating legitimacy. Effective forms of legitimation were rooted in Tamil nationalism, tradition, charismatic leadership, sacrifices made by LTTE cadres and the people’s need for protection. However, the strong reformative socio-political agenda of the LTTE largely failed to engender legitimacy among the population.
AB - Based on extensive fieldwork in Sri Lanka, we analyze how the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) acquired legitimacy and how legitimation impacts civilian perceptions of the rebels. Despite the LTTE’s reliance on coercion to induce compliance, civilians also supported the LTTE and their imagined state of Tamil Eelam voluntarily. Different LTTE strategies and acts helped creating legitimacy. Effective forms of legitimation were rooted in Tamil nationalism, tradition, charismatic leadership, sacrifices made by LTTE cadres and the people’s need for protection. However, the strong reformative socio-political agenda of the LTTE largely failed to engender legitimacy among the population.
U2 - 10.1080/13698249.2017.1393265
DO - 10.1080/13698249.2017.1393265
M3 - Article
SN - 1743-968X
VL - 19
JO - Civil Wars
JF - Civil Wars
IS - 3
ER -