There is growing acceptance to the argument that alienation of non-state armed groups does not bring an end to violence. A question being increasingly asked by third party interveners, policy makers/ analysts and scholars is: ‘how to effectively engage with such groups?’ ‘Understanding’ groups is the first step when attempting to intervene in the conflict. In order to do, one must examine the leadership of the group. This is central to any political analysis. The leader and the nature of leadership creates and to a large extent influences every other aspect of the group such as ideology, goals, leadership, structure, culture and commitment. Every student will examine the nature of leadership in one non-state armed group and comment on the implications for those choosing to engage with that particular group. Specifically, the students will research on: (1) Profile and Personality of the Leader/s; Origins of Leadership (2) Type of Leadership (3) Source of Power (4) Maintaining Authority and Control/Ensuring Follower Compliance and Commitment (5) Dealing with threats, change and Crisis Management (6) Negotiating with Leadership/Group - Implications for Practitioners, Policy Makers and Scholars.