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Gold and Civil Conflict Intensity: evidence from a spatially disaggregated analysis

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  • Balestri Sara

    (Department of International Economics, Institutions and Development (DISEIS), Faculty of Political Science, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC))

Abstract

This research is aimed at investigating whether the presence of available extractive resources, in particular gold, interacts with civil conflict intensity, accounting for sub-country level data through the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. By a spatially disaggregated and specific resource analysis, I found that gold, gemstones and hydrocarbons productions within the conflict areas tend to increase conflict intensity. The analysis is carried out by applying a Zero-Truncated Negative Binomial model. Data for gold resource are extracted from an original dataset - GOLDATA - which provides a comprehensive list of gold deposits throughout the world completed of geographic coordinates, temporal information and characteristics. The overall finding is that the presence of exploitable gold resource tends to increase conflict intensity and that resources’ lootability and accessibility in wartime can largely determine to what extent revenues can be appropriated and misused during conflict events.

Suggested Citation

  • Balestri Sara, 2012. "Gold and Civil Conflict Intensity: evidence from a spatially disaggregated analysis," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 18(3), pages 1-7, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:bpj:pepspp:v:18:y:2012:i:3:p:1-7:n:11
    DOI: 10.1515/peps-2012-0012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Hosli Madeleine O. & Hoekstra Anke, 2013. "What Fosters Enduring Peace? An Analysis of Factors Influencing Civil War Resolution," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 123-155, August.
    3. Thomas Gries & Claus-Jochen Haake, 2016. "An Economic Theory of 'Destabilization War'," Working Papers CIE 95, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    4. Gries, Thomas & Haake, Claus-Jochen, 2016. "An Economic Theory of 'Destabilization War' '- Compromise for Peace versus Conventional, Guerilla, or Terrorist Warfare," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145617, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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