Lobbying by Rebel Groups in the United States: Introducing the Rebel Lobbying Dataset, Version 1, 1945–2012

During civil wars, some rebel groups hire lobbying and public relations (PR) firms to cultivate favorable perceptions abroad. Almost 15% of rebel groups, for example, lobbied through PR firms at least once in the United States between 1945 and 2012. Yet, data limitations have made it difficult for scholars of rebel diplomacy to study rebel lobbying systematically. To help mitigate these limitations and facilitate future research, we introduce the first version of the Rebel Lobbying Dataset (RLD), which captures whether and when rebel groups hired professional lobbying firms in the United States. The RLD covers 230 rebel groups engaged in 103 civil conflicts worldwide from 1945 to 2012. After presenting several descriptive patterns, we demonstrate the dataset’s utility by examining whether rebel lobbying in Washington is associated with subsequent U.S. support for rebel groups. By making rebel groups’ use of professional lobbying firms visible at scale for the first time, the RLD opens new avenues for studying the determinants, timing, and consequences of how rebel groups pursue foreign influence.