Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Political Economy of Extractive Industries Conflicts

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

General Summary Extractive industries conflicts are an increasingly common and costly phenomenon in the world today, particularly in developing countries. This project investigates why violent conflict continues to occur in extractive industries, particularly in Latin America, and tests several interventions designed to reduce the level of conflict around mining through improved responsiveness to local communities and reduced capture by government officials. The PI identifies three sub-national mechanisms that may explain extractive industries conflict: (1) asymmetric information, (2) commitment problems, and (3) capture by elected officials. The co-PI then test each of these mechanisms through three randomized field experiments in Peru that include private sector, NGO and government partners. The PI test whether improved responsiveness by policymakers and the private sector can reduce conflict in extractive sectors. Technical Summary While previous studies in the social sciences have identified a relationship between natural resources and conflict at the macro (cross-national) level, this project focuses on micro-level mechanisms in Latin America. The PI identifies three sub-national mechanisms that explain why conflicts occur around extractive industries: 1) Asymmetric information, 2) Commitment problems and 3) Capture by elected officials. The PI tests each of the mechanisms through three randomized field experiments in Peru that include private sector, NGO and government partners. This project examines sub-national mechanisms for resource conflicts other than civil war, such as labor conflicts, environmental conflicts, and populist rural uprisings that are short of armed insurrection. The use of the randomized field experimental techniques allows the PI to be more confident that the effects found are indeed causal effects.