Local Institutions and Armed Group Presence in Colombia

Margarita G�faro, Ana Maria Ib��ez and Patricia Justino
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Margarita G�faro: Brown University
Ana Maria Ib��ez: Universidad de los Andes
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Ana Maria Ibáñez and Margarita Gafaro

No 178, HiCN Working Papers from Households in Conflict Network

Abstract: This paper investigates the causal impact of non-state armed groups on local institutions during the armed conflict in Colombia, and tests competing theoretical mechanisms that may shape such effect. Our identification strategy is based on the construction of contiguous-pairs of rural communities that share common socio-economic characteristics but differ in armed group presence. The results show that the presence of armed groups is associated with increases in overall participation in local organizations, with a particularly strong effect on political organizations. This strengthening of local institutions during wartime appears to be driven by coercion exercised by armed groups that capture local organizations for strategic war purposes, rather than a reflection of a vibrant civil society.

Keywords: armed conflict; violence; institutions; Colombia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 45 pages
Date: 2014-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-cdm, nep-dev, nep-lam and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hic:wpaper:178

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