What term describes a violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over populations?

The term that best describes a violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over populations is irregular warfare. This form of conflict typically involves unconventional tactics and strategies, such as guerrilla warfare, insurgency, and terrorism, and often takes place in environments where the distinction between combatants and non-combatants is blurred. Irregular warfare is characterized by its focus on influencing the will and behavior of populations rather than solely defeating an enemy's military forces.

It recognizes that modern conflicts often involve a diverse array of participants, including insurgents, terrorist groups, and even criminal organizations, alongside traditional state militaries. The objective of these actors can be to gain local support, undermine a government’s authority, or achieve specific political goals, all while operating outside the norms of conventional conflict.

Other terms do not capture the same complexity. Conventional warfare, for instance, typically refers to direct military engagements between organized armed forces representing states or nations, relying on traditional tactics and clearly defined battlefields. Absolute war denotes a theoretical concept of total warfare where no limits are placed on the conduct of war or the objectives pursued, which generally doesn't apply in the context of legitimacy struggles over populations. The Cold War describes a specific historical period characterized by political tension and military