ABSTRACT

Although political violence pursued by non-state actors through insurgency, terrorism, or some other form of armed resistance occurs in many states worldwide, the Mediterranean region has experienced a particularly high amount in recent decades. In particular, Islamic-based political violence has wreaked havoc in states all across North Africa and up to Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. At the same time, secular groups have also been active in pursuing political violence in the region. This chapter begins with a discussion of the types of political violence pursued by non-state actors, then moves on to discuss the status of such groups in the Mediterranean region. The remainder of the chapter provides explanations for the motivations of such groups, specifically ISIS, Hamas and Hizballah as non-state actors engaging in political violence in the region.