Fear Not For Man? Armed conflict and social capital in Mali

Thomas Calvo, Emmanuelle Lavallée, Mireille Razafindrakoto and François Roubaud

Journal of Comparative Economics, 2020, vol. 48, issue 2, 251-276

Abstract: This paper studies the effects of armed conflict on social capital in Mali, where a violent conflict has been raging since 2012. We examine the conflict’s impacts on associational membership using event location data and unique survey data on governance, peace and security (GPS-SHaSA). We show that, in conflict-exposed areas, adult involvement in associations increases from 7 to 14 percentage points. Instrumental variable and difference-in-differences strategies complementary mitigate reverse causation and omitted variable biases as estimated results remain very consistent. Robust estimations constrained to non-migrants samples also rule out selection into migration. Yet this result, consistent with the argument that armed conflict cultivates social engagement, is not a positive outcome in the case of Mali. The increase is observed solely for family and political associations, which are comparatively inward-looking and act as interest groups. We interpret this finding as a form of withdrawal behind group or community boundaries, an interpretation supported by further analysis of interpersonal trust. This sort of withdrawal may exacerbate ethnic divisions and deepen the conflict.

Keywords: Social capital; Conflict; Participation; Trust; Mali (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D71 F51 O12 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Fear Not For Man? Armed conflict and social capital in Mali (2023)
Working Paper: Fear Not For Man? Armed conflict and social capital in Mali (2020)
Working Paper: Fear Not For Man? Armed conflict and social capital in Mali (2019)
Working Paper: Fear Not For Man ? Armed conflict and social capital in Mali (2019)
Working Paper: Fear not for man? Armed conflict and social capital in Mali (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:48:y:2020:i:2:p:251-276

DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2019.11.005

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