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The long shadow of conflict on human capital: Intergenerational evidence from Peru

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  • Hidalgo-Aréstegui, Alessandra
  • Porter, Catherine
  • Sánchez, Alan
  • Singhal, Saurabh

Abstract

This paper estimates the intergenerational impacts of mothers’ exposure to the 1980–2000 Peruvian civil conflict on their children’s socio-emotional skills development. We combine longitudinal data, which measures skills across a child’s life, with historical geo-located conflict data. Exploiting spatial and temporal variation in conflict episodes, we find that mothers’ exposure to conflict has adverse intergenerational effects on their children’s socio-emotional outcomes of agency and pride. These effects are present at ages 8 and 12 and are robust to alternative specifications. At age 15, mothers’ conflict exposure increases children’s propensity to engage in crime-related risky behavior. The analysis of mechanisms highlights the role of reduced parental investments in children, driven by constrained household resources, a quality–quantity trade-off, and diminished maternal empowerment. Finally, an examination of the mother’s migration history reveals that migration decisions of her parents during the conflict partially mitigated the adverse effects on the socio-emotional development of their grandchildren.

Suggested Citation

  • Hidalgo-Aréstegui, Alessandra & Porter, Catherine & Sánchez, Alan & Singhal, Saurabh, 2025. "The long shadow of conflict on human capital: Intergenerational evidence from Peru," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:174:y:2025:i:c:s0304387825000197
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2025.103468
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Civil conflict; Long-run effects; Intergenerational; Socio-emotional skills; Peru;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • N36 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Latin America; Caribbean
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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