Doctoral Dissertation Research: Natural Resource Governance and Economic Development

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Pi and Co-PI: Sally Merry and Terra Eve Lawson-RemerInstitution: NYUTitle: Natural Resource Governance and Economic DevelopmentSES ? 0820653AbstractThis project examines the impacts of natural resource governance institutions on economic development, specifically poverty, inequality, income, and conflict. Data will come from ethnographic case studies and econometric models to shed light on the ways in which natural resource governance affects economic development. Case studies in Mexico, Sierra Leone, and Fiji will also be used to examine the interaction between formal laws and informal social norms in the determination of distribution and efficiency outcomes. In addition, a series of statistical regressions will be incorporated to investigate the impact of various forms of property rights, different accountability mechanisms, and other dimensions of natural resource governance on conflict, poverty, and human development indicators. Understanding the impacts of different natural resource governance structures is critical to devising appropriate policies for reducing poverty, sustaining ecosystem services, and mitigating natural resource related conflicts. To the extent that some resource governance laws are more effective than others in raising living standards of the poor, knowledge about these institutional mechanisms can aid the global commitment to reduce poverty. At the same time, insights regarding effective natural resource governance institutions can be applied to improve the provisions of a wide array of ecosystem services, such as carbon emissions reductions and sustainable wildlife populations. Finally, a better understanding of the issues surrounding natural resource governance will contribute directly to our ability to address the root causes of violent conflicts.