Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-11-2024
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Croft Institute for International Studies
First Advisor
Steven Schaaf
Second Advisor
Benjamin Jones
Third Advisor
Kenneth Negy
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Proxy wars are a very specific subset of war that have increased in frequency. Researchers have studied why proxy wars occur, but there are less studies specifically on to what extent, if any, colonialism has on the onset of proxy wars. To fill this gap, I write a historical analysis of past proxy wars—specifically the Vietnam War (1955-1975), Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), and Yemeni Civil War (2014-present)—to examine the effects of colonialism. Furthermore, I utilize my case studies to assess my argument’s limitations. I also utilize statistical analysis to determine the probability of proxy war if a country has a history of colonialism. I argue that colonialism causes limited economic development, ethnic divides, and patron investment, which then in turn heightens the probability of proxy war onset. My findings are mixed; my Vietnam case study shows evidence that colonialism led to proxy war onset, but statistics show the opposite effect: that colonialism, on average, decreases the probability of proxy war onset. The research conducted in this paper provides new insight on why proxy wars occur that have not been discussed in previous literature by tying in colonialism and its legacy. It also contributes to the existing scholarship on intrastate conflict, internationalized domestic conflicts, the influence of outside entities in conflicts, and the ramifications of colonialism.
Recommended Citation
Rehm, Sydney, "Lasting Impact: Analyzing the Relationship Between Colonialism and Proxy War Onset" (2024). Honors Theses. 3175.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3175
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