| Summary: | What are the varying roles that norms play to either enable or constrain
violence in armed conflict settings? The article examines this question by drawing on experiences
from communities and armed groups in Colombia and Syria. It begins by presenting an explanation
of how norms of violence and nonviolence may arise within communities and influence the behavior
of civilian residents, reducing the chances of them becoming involved with armed groups. It then
considers how civilian communities can transmit those same norms, shared understandings, and
patterns of interaction to the ranks of illegal armed groups and subsequently shape their
decisions about the use of violence against civilians. The author argues that civilians may be
better positioned to promote the principles codified in International Humanitarian Law than
international humanitarian organizations because they have closer contact with irregular armed
actors and are viewed with greater legitimacy. The analysis illustrates that to better understand
civilian protection mechanisms it is essential to study the interactions between communities and
armed actors.
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