Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Political Economy of Extractive Industries Conflicts

摘要采掘业冲突是当今世界一个日益普遍且代价高昂的现象，尤其是在发展中国家。该项目调查为何采掘业，特别是拉丁美洲的采掘业继续发生暴力冲突，并测试旨在通过改善对当地社区的反应和减少政府官员的抓捕来减少采矿方面的冲突水平的几种干预措施。PI确定了三种次国家机制，可以解释采掘业冲突：(1)信息不对称，(2)承诺问题，(3)被民选官员俘虏。然后，联合PI通过秘鲁的三个随机实地试验测试了这些机制中的每一个，这些试验包括私营部门、非政府组织和政府合作伙伴。PI测试了政策制定者和私营部门提高反应能力是否可以减少采掘业的冲突。技术概述虽然社会科学以前的研究已经确定了宏观(跨国家)一级的自然资源和冲突之间的关系，但该项目侧重于拉丁美洲的微观机制。PI确定了三种次国家机制来解释为什么会发生围绕采掘业的冲突：1)信息不对称，2)承诺问题，3)民选官员的俘虏。国际和平研究所在秘鲁通过包括私营部门、非政府组织和政府合作伙伴在内的三个随机实地试验来测试每一种机制。这个项目考察了内战以外的资源冲突的次国家机制，如劳工冲突、环境冲突和缺乏武装起义的民粹主义农村起义。随机化现场实验技术的使用使PI更有信心地认为所发现的影响确实是因果影响。

General SummaryExtractive 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 SummaryWhile 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.