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Ethno-Nationalist Dyads and Civil War

Author

Listed:
  • Lars-Erik Cederman

    (Center for Comparative and International Studies ETH Zürich, Switzerland)

  • Halvard Buhaug

    (Centre for the Study of Civil War (CSCW) International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO), Oslo, Norway)

  • Jan Ketil Rød

    (Department of Geography Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway and CSCW, PRIO)

Abstract

Previous quantitative research on ethnic civil war relies on macro-level proxies in an attempt to specify the conditions under which ethnic minorities rebel. Going beyond an exclusive focus on minorities, the present study employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a way to model ethnic center—periphery dyads that confront governments with excluded groups. We construct and analyze a new dataset of geo-referenced politically relevant ethnic groups, covering the entire world during the period from 1951 through 2005. Our results show that the conflict probability of marginalized groups increases with the demographic power balance compared to the group(s) in power. Furthermore, the risk of conflict increases with the distance from the group to the capital, and the roughness of the terrain in the group's settlement area. We also find that while the results for demographic group strength hold for all ethnic civil wars, the geographic factors apply for territorial ethnic conflicts only.

Suggested Citation

  • Lars-Erik Cederman & Halvard Buhaug & Jan Ketil Rød, 2009. "Ethno-Nationalist Dyads and Civil War," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 53(4), pages 496-525, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jocore:v:53:y:2009:i:4:p:496-525
    DOI: 10.1177/0022002709336455
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Morelli, Massimo & Rohner, Dominic, 2015. "Resource concentration and civil wars," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 32-47.
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    4. Pillay, Timesh D. & Skordis-Worrall, Jolene, 2013. "South African health financing reform 2000–2010: Understanding the agenda-setting process," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(3), pages 321-331.
    5. Khusrav Gaibulloev & Todd Sandler, 2016. "Decentralization, institutions, and maritime piracy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 357-374, December.
    6. Christine S. Mele & David A. Siegel, 2019. "Identifiability, state repression, and the onset of ethnic conflict," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 181(3), pages 399-422, December.
    7. Yuri M. Zhukov & Charles H. Anderton & Jurgen Brauer, "undated". "On the Logistics of Violence," Working Paper 255276, Harvard University OpenScholar.
    8. Corbetta Renato & Volgy Thomas J. & Rhamey J. Patrick, 2013. "Major Power Status (In)Consistency and Political Relevance in International Relations Studies," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 19(3), pages 291-307, December.

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