The latest research being started by Defence Research and Development Canada - this, from the MERX public tendering site:
.... Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto, ON requires services for the support of research aimed at advancing our understanding of the strategic roles of Armed Non-state Actors (ANSAs) in the context of persistent social conflict within fragile or failing states. The research contract is entitled "Towards a Theory of ANSA Strategic Decision-making: Review of the Relevant Scientific Literature". The purpose of the work is to deliver an integrative review of the relevant scientific literature such as Integrative Literature Review (ILR)1 so that it will assess scientific literature of relevance to elaborating a theory of ANSA decision-making. It will evaluate the state of the art of the extant scientific literature, identify gaps in that literature, and suggest future research to fill those gaps .... The maximum funding available for the Contract resulting from the bid solicitation is $50,000.00 <~$47.9K US dollars> (Goods and Services Tax or Harmonized Sales Tax extra, as appropriate) ....
A little bit more from the Statement of Work (available here):
.... In simple terms, the goal of this ... project is to shed soem light upon what ANSAs do and why they do it .... this framework will serve as the theoritical basis for subsequent development of an integrated (operational- or strategic-level) knowledge management tool to assist Candian Forces... in the production of combat and strategic intelligence in support of future Peace Support Operations ... and Counterinsurgency Operations ... in fragile or failing states ....
Plain English? What does current research say about what armed anti-government groups do, and why they do it? We want to know so we can develop a framework - a set of lenses, if you will - for military folks to look through to help them produce intelligence during "peacekeeping" or counterinsurgency operations in fragile or failing states.