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What Is a Civil War?A Critical Review of Its Definition and (Econometric) Consequences

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  • Mark Gersovitz
  • Norma Kriger

Abstract

We argue that the academic literature, both qualitative and quantitative, has mislabeled most episodes of large-scale violence in Africa as civil wars; these episodes better fit our concept of regional war complexes. Our paper seeks to highlight the fundamental flaws in the conception of civil war in the econometric literature and their implications for econometric specification and estimation, problems that this literature is inherently incapable of rectifying. We advocate the comparative study of regional war complexes in Africa based on historical narratives. Copyright 2013, Oxford University Press.

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  • Mark Gersovitz & Norma Kriger, 2013. "What Is a Civil War?A Critical Review of Its Definition and (Econometric) Consequences," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 28(2), pages 159-190, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:wbrobs:v:28:y:2013:i:2:p:159-190
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/wbro/lkt005
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    Cited by:

    1. Silve, Arthur & Verdier, Thierry, 2018. "A theory of regional conflict complexes," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 434-447.
    2. Mohammad Ajmal Hameed & Mohammad Mafizur Rahman & Rasheda Khanam, 2023. "Analyzing the Consequences of Long-Run Civil War on Unemployment Rate: Empirical Evidence from Afghanistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Massimiliano Calì & Alen Mulabdic, 2017. "Trade and civil conflict: Revisiting the cross-country evidence," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 195-232, February.
    4. Balestri Sara & Maggioni Mario A., 2014. "Blood Diamonds, Dirty Gold and Spatial Spill-overs Measuring Conflict Dynamics in West Africa," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 20(4), pages 551-564, December.
    5. Carmignani, Fabrizio & Kler, Parvinder, 2016. "Surrounded by wars: Quantifying the role of spatial conflict spillovers," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 7-16.
    6. António S. Cruz & Francisco Fernandes & Fausto J. Mafambissa & Francisco Pereira, 2018. "The construction sector in Mozambique: An overview," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-117, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Jordan Adamson, 2021. "The scope of political jurisdictions and violence: theory and evidence from Africa," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 467-490, March.
    8. António S. Cruz & Fausto Mafambissa & Francisco Fernandes & Francisco Pereira, 2018. "The construction sector in Mozambique: An overview," WIDER Working Paper Series 117, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Sarabjit Kaur, 2020. "Do Economic Inequalities Generate Political Conflict? An Insight into Civil War and Niger Delta Crisis in Nigeria," Insight on Africa, , vol. 12(2), pages 160-174, July.

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