Excited to share that our work with @C_Faulkner_UCF--"Rebel Fragmentation and the Recruitment of Child Soldiers"--has been conditionally accepted at @ISQ_Jrnl!

We explain why rebel splinter factions are more likely to recruit children than groups formed through other processes.

Splinter groups emerge in a crowded & hostile environment. Time-intensive screening or highly-selective criteria for recruitment can be antithetical to the survival of these kinds of emergent rebels. In such an environment, child soldiers become an especially attractive resource.

Extending from this premise, we connect rebel splinter factions to an increased likelihood of child soldier recruitment via two mechanisms: (1) the impressionability of children and (2) organizational learning.

Using the FORGE data ( @jessicabraith & @kgcunnin), we test our theory with a sample of 237 rebel groups active from 1989-2011. We find strong support for our hypothesis: Splinter factions have a predicted 0.134 greater pr(recruiting children) relative to other rebel group types.

We're excited about this paper. It (1) builds on the growing work on the *causes* of rebel fragmentation to illuminate its *consequences*; and (2) shows how child recruitment reflects a purposive decision by rebel commanders facing unique strategic constraints and demands.

In most conflict contexts, child soldier recruitment is the modal outcome. But some rebel types are more prone to this recruitment practice than others. These differences matter. This study offers needed insight into the logic of child recruitment.

Chris and I greatly benefitted from the existing work of so many brilliant folks, including: @MiaMBloom @HaerRoos @MikeWoldemariam @emosinger @Scott__Gates @B_R_Early @cblatts @EPerkoski @warnjason @HilaryMatfess @HooverGreen @JosephKYoung and others. Thank you!

This paper has been *much* improved by the constructive feedback we've received from our three reviewers and the great editorial team @ISQ_Jrnl! One of those review rounds that makes you especially grateful for a professional community that is full gracious & brilliant people.

Doing work on rebel fragmentation, rebel orgs, human security, or child soldiering? Happy to share a pre-print of the paper. DM me!

Grateful to have Chris as a friend & co-author. Academic life is wild. Chris & I met b/c we moved to Kentucky at the same time. The idea for this paper came up while chatting in the lobby of the UK library after attending a great talk by @EmilyHRitter hosted by @ukpoliscidept.