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Do natural resources matter for interstate and intrastate armed conflict?

Author

Listed:
  • Vally Koubi

    (University of Bern & ETH Zurich)

  • Gabriele Spilker

    (ETH Zurich)

  • Tobias Böhmelt

    (University of Essex & ETH Zurich)

  • Thomas Bernauer

    (ETH Zurich)

Abstract

This article reviews the existing theoretical arguments and empirical findings linking renewable and non-renewable natural resources to the onset, intensity, and duration of intrastate as well as interstate armed conflict. Renewable resources are supposedly connected to conflict via scarcity, while non-renewable resources are hypothesized to lead to conflict via resource abundance. Based upon our analysis of these two streams in the literature, it turns out that the empirical support for the resource scarcity argument is rather weak. However, the authors obtain some evidence that resource abundance is likely to be associated with conflict. The article concludes that further research should generate improved data on low-intensity forms of conflict as well as resource scarcity and abundance at subnational and international levels, and use more homogenous empirical designs to analyze these data. Such analyses should pay particular attention to interactive effects and endogeneity issues in the resource–conflict relationship.

Suggested Citation

  • Vally Koubi & Gabriele Spilker & Tobias Böhmelt & Thomas Bernauer, 2014. "Do natural resources matter for interstate and intrastate armed conflict?," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 51(2), pages 227-243, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:joupea:v:51:y:2014:i:2:p:227-243
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bakaki Zorzeta, 2016. "Fossil Fuel Rents: Who Initiates International Crises?," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 22(2), pages 173-190, April.
    2. Eoin McGuirk & Marshall Burke, 2020. "The Economic Origins of Conflict in Africa," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(10), pages 3940-3997.
    3. Becken, Susanne & Carmignani, Fabrizio, 2016. "Does tourism lead to peace?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 63-79.
    4. Armey, Laura E. & McNab, Robert M., 2018. "Expenditure decentralization and natural resources," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 52-61.
    5. Andrew Beckmann, 2018. "Conflict Over Transnational River Resources: An Applied Game Theoretic Analysis," Working Papers 201806, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Economics.
    6. Khaldoon A. Mourad & Helen Avery, 2019. "The Sustainability of Post-Conflict Development: The Case of Algeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, May.
    7. Jetter, Michael, 2016. "Peace, Terrorism, or Civil Conflict? Understanding the Decision of an Opposition Group," IZA Discussion Papers 9996, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Bürgi Bonanomi, Elisabeth & Elsig, Manfred & Espa, Ilaria, 2015. "The Commodity Sector and Related Governance Challenges from a Sustainable Development Perspective: The Example of Switzerland Current Research Gaps," Papers 865, World Trade Institute.

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