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Building Cooperation among Groups in Conflict: An Experiment on Intersectarian Cooperation in Lebanon

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  • Han Il Chang
  • Leonid Peisakhin

Abstract

Societies divided along ethnic or religious lines suffer from persistent conflict and underprovision of public goods. Scholarly understanding of how to strengthen intergroup cooperation remains limited. In this study, we set out to test the effectiveness of two interventions on intergroup cooperation: cross‐group expert appeal and participation in a cross‐group discussion. The laboratory‐in‐the‐field experiment is set in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, and involves interactions between 180 Shia and 180 Sunni Muslim participants. We find that the expert appeal increases intersectarian cooperation in settings that do not entail reciprocal exchange. On average, cross‐sectarian discussions do not improve cooperation, but those discussions in which participants delve deeply into the conflict's causes and possible remedies are associated with greater cooperation. Neither intervention diminishes the effectiveness of sectarian clientelistic appeals. The policy implication of our study is that intergroup cooperation can be strengthened even in regions as bitterly divided as the Middle East.

Suggested Citation

  • Han Il Chang & Leonid Peisakhin, 2019. "Building Cooperation among Groups in Conflict: An Experiment on Intersectarian Cooperation in Lebanon," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 63(1), pages 146-162, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:63:y:2019:i:1:p:146-162
    DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12397
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    Cited by:

    1. Laia Balcells & José Fernández-Albertos & Alexander Kuo, 2021. "Secession and social polarization: Evidence from Catalonia," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-2, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Laia Balcells & Alexander Kuo, 2023. "Secessionist conflict and affective polarization: Evidence from Catalonia," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 60(4), pages 604-618, July.
    3. Han Il Chang, 2021. "A side effect of a broker's expertise in clientelism: A lab‐experimental study," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(3), pages 393-410, July.

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