An American Story of Insurgency: Narrative, Discourse, and Power in Knowledge Production

Advancement in counterinsurgency research, doctrine, and practice is hindered by discursive boundaries established in part by institutional narratives within the COIN community. Applying a narrative analytical approach, the boundaries set by the insurgency narrative are explored by dismantling claims and evaluations of the insurgent; it's setting, and the central themes of prominent COIN scholars. Reconstructing the definition of insurgency reveals the role of the institutional narrative in suppressing less biased understandings of insurgents and their setting; hindering analysis, and acting as an ideational resource of power.