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Research Design and Estimator Choices in the Analysis of Interstate Dyads

Author

Listed:
  • D. Scott Bennett

    (Department of Political Science, Pennsylvania State University)

  • Allan C. Stam

    (Government Department, Dartmouth College)

Abstract

Researchers face three basic questions when testing theoretically driven hypotheses. First is research design: for example, what population should be analyzed, what sample should be drawn from that population, and what cases should be excluded from the sample? What statistical estimator should one use? What set of control variables should one employ? Results drawn from several permutations of the Correlates of War Militarized Interstate Dispute data set are compared using three statistical models. For some theories and variables (international institutionalism—intergovernmental organization and alliance membership; realism—balance of power; expected utility theory—international interaction game equilibria), research design and estimator choices substantially influence the findings. For others (trade and democratic peace theory), the relationship between the dependent and independent variables is relatively impervious to research design and estimator choices.

Suggested Citation

  • D. Scott Bennett & Allan C. Stam, 2000. "Research Design and Estimator Choices in the Analysis of Interstate Dyads," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 44(5), pages 653-685, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jocore:v:44:y:2000:i:5:p:653-685
    DOI: 10.1177/0022002700044005005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Paul K. Huth & Todd L. Allee, 2002. "Domestic Political Accountability and the Escalation and Settlement of International Disputes," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 46(6), pages 754-790, December.
    4. Luo, Shali & Miller, J. Isaac, 2014. "On the spatial correlation of international conflict initiation and other binary and dyadic dependent variables," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 107-118.
    5. D. Scott Bennett, 2011. "Is EUGene a Collective Bad?," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 28(4), pages 315-330, September.
    6. Stephen L. Quackenbush & Michael Rudy, 2009. "Evaluating the Monadic Democratic Peace," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 26(3), pages 268-285, July.
    7. Glenn Palmer & Vito D’Orazio & Michael Kenwick & Matthew Lane, 2015. "The MID4 dataset, 2002–2010: Procedures, coding rules and description," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 32(2), pages 222-242, April.
    8. James Lee Ray, 2005. "Constructing Multivariate Analyses (of Dangerous Dyads)," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 22(4), pages 277-292, September.
    9. Edward D. Mansfield & Brian M. Pollins, 2001. "The Study of Interdependence and Conflict," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 45(6), pages 834-859, December.
    10. Jacob Ausderan, 2018. "Reassessing the democratic advantage in interstate wars using k-adic datasets," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 35(5), pages 451-473, September.
    11. Todd S. Sechser, 2004. "Are Soldiers Less War-Prone than Statesmen?," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 48(5), pages 746-774, October.
    12. Johann Park, 2013. "Forward to the future? The democratic peace after the Cold War," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 30(2), pages 178-194, April.
    13. Omar M.G. Keshk & Rafael Reuveny & Brian M. Pollins, 2010. "Trade and Conflict: Proximity, Country Size, and Measures," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 27(1), pages 3-27, February.
    14. Sebastian Rosato, 2011. "On the Democratic Peace," Chapters, in: Christopher J. Coyne & Rachel L. Mathers (ed.), The Handbook on the Political Economy of War, chapter 15, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Sarah E. Croco & Tze Kwang Teo, 2005. "Assessing the Dyadic Approach to Interstate Conflict Processes: A.k.a. “Dangerous†Dyad-Years," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 22(1), pages 5-18, February.
    16. Margherita Belgioioso, 2018. "Going underground," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 55(5), pages 641-655, September.
    17. Emilie M. Hafner-Burton & Alexander H. Montgomery, 2006. "Power Positions," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 50(1), pages 3-27, February.
    18. Strüver, Georg & Wegenast, Tim, 2011. "Ex oleo bellare? The Impact of Oil on the Outbreak of Militarized Interstate Disputes," GIGA Working Papers 162, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    19. Han Dorussen & Hugh Ward, 2011. "Disaggregated Trade Flows and International Conflict," Chapters, in: Christopher J. Coyne & Rachel L. Mathers (ed.), The Handbook on the Political Economy of War, chapter 25, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    20. HÃ¥vard Hegre, 2009. "Trade Dependence or Size Dependence?," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 26(1), pages 26-45, February.
    21. Brandon J Kinne, 2014. "Does third-party trade reduce conflict? Credible signaling versus opportunity costs," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 31(1), pages 28-48, February.
    22. Havard Hegre, 2005. "Identifying How Trade Matters in Empirical Studies of Interstate Conflict," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 22(3), pages 217-224, July.
    23. Giacomo Chiozza & H. E. Goemans, 2003. "Peace through Insecurity," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 47(4), pages 443-467, August.
    24. Erik Gartzke & Dong-Joon Jo, 2009. "Bargaining, Nuclear Proliferation, and Interstate Disputes," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 53(2), pages 209-233, April.
    25. Halvard Buhaug, 2005. "Dangerous Dyads Revisited: Democracies May Not Be That Peaceful After All," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 22(2), pages 95-111, April.

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