We call these post-Cold War crises and assign a certain set of characteristics to them. The conflict is often ethnic in nature. It's internalit's no longer a proxy fight between the superpowers, though it's often fueled by weapons left behind from Cold War days. There is another common characteristic of these conflictsthe refugees they produce and how we cover them. This is a hot topic right now in academia.
Researchers talk about something called the crisis triangle.
In one corner of this triangle you have the aid agencies that move into a crisis region to help the refugees and displaced persons. Another cornerthe foreign governments, who decide whether or not to intervene in the crisis. Finally, there's the media, whose coverage, or noncoverage, is believed to have a crucial impact on the other parts of the triangle. If the media are outraged enough, for instance, Western governments will feel forced to intervene. If the media cover the story, aid agencies get donations.