How Pro-Government Militias Spread Across Africa: A New Relational Dataset

📌 What This Dataset Is

The African Relational Pro-Government Militia Dataset (RPGMD) identifies pro-government militias (PGMs) operating in Africa between 1997 and 2014. The dataset documents the geographic proliferation and diffusion of these groups across the continent and supplies relational and contextual information that is often missing from existing sources.

📊 How the Dataset Was Compiled (1997–2014)

The RPGMD records 149 active PGMs, 104 of which are newly identified relative to prior datasets. It provides descriptive information about each group alongside relational measures and contextual variables, including:

• Alliance relationships between PGMs and state or nonstate actors
• Ethnic relationships linking PGMs to local communities and identity networks
• Contextual indicators that situate PGM activity within broader political and security environments

🔎 What the Analysis Examined

The relational and contextual variables are used to analyze the determinants of both the presence of abusive behavior and the level of abuse perpetrated by individual PGMs. Key analytical takeaways include:

• The RPGMD enables assessment of how alliances and social ties shape PGM behavior
• Findings underscore that nuances in PGM–government relationships matter in addition to static PGM characteristics when explaining abusive conduct

⚠️ Why It Matters

The RPGMD fills important gaps for research on the formation, diffusion, and behavior of pro-government forces and their effects on internal conflict, repression, and state fragility. By combining actor-level descriptions with relational ties and contextual data, the dataset supports more precise investigations into when and why PGMs engage in abuse and how they interact with state actors.