Legitimacy as the Center of Gravity: Irregular Warfare and State Authority in Fragmented Conflict Zones Case Study: Syria.

The article examines the issue of legitimacy as a major focus of an irregular warfare's "center of gravity" using Syria as a test case for examining government authority in a fragmentary zone of conflict. It suggests that in today's wars, authority is determined more by conflicting legitimacy claims at the local, national and international level than by physical control over territory. Using qualitative methods, including the analysis of policy papers, speeches, practices of governance and historical data, the research demonstrates how states and non-states create legitimacy through their delivery of services, engagement with civilians, narrative framing and international recognition. The research indicates that legitimacy serves as both a resource for strategy and a foundation for norms in establishing authority, which influences both the ability of governments to maintain governance in conflict zones and the dynamic of the conflict itself, and the trajectory of politics after the conflict. The article contributes to IR scholarship, by illustrating the connection between local governance legitimacy and international recognition mechanisms in irregular warfare environments.