Presenting the Updated Non-State Actor Dataset

This data feature presents an update (Version 4.0) to the Non-State Actor (NSA) data, which provide information on the characteristics of rebel groups in all state-rebel group dyads in the Uppsala Conflict Data Program/Peace Research Institute Oslo Armed Conflict Dataset (ACD). The previous version of the NSA data ended in 2011, and Version 4.0 extends coverage through 2024, adding more than 250 new dyad spells and aligning pre-2011 data with Version 25.1 of the ACD. The added period is a consequential one for the study of conflict: the number of conflicts and conflict fatalities have risen substantially, while international conflict management efforts have declined. We describe the coding process and present descriptive analyses showing marked increases in rebel strength relative to the government and in rebel territorial control over the post-2011 period. We also discuss applications of the data to research on rebel governance and violence against civilians, two areas where scholarship has grown substantially since the data were last updated. The update further allows the range of data projects built on the NSA to be extended, supporting research on how the changing character of contemporary conflict shapes its dynamics and outcomes.