Leiden University Student Repository

Dilling, Martijn (2024)

From hunger to distrust: How food insecurity degrades institutional trust

Bachelor thesis | Politicologie (BSc)

In a time where Food Insecurity is at an all-time high, gaining a better understanding of its consequences is crucial for states to adopt the right policies. Existing literature highlighted the causes of food insecurity as well as its consequences in times of sudden unrest. However, no research has investigated the gradual consequences of low food availability on institutions. This study aims at closing this gap by answering the question “How is institutional trust affected by food insecurity?”. More precisely, this paper applies the social contract theory to the issue of food insecurity in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. A new index regarding institutional trust is used to differentiate between institutions. The analysis is carried out through a multivariate linear regression and data is retrieved from the Afrobarometer round 7. Findings support a significant negative effect, confirming that food insecurity leads to a decrease in institutional trust, more severely in representatives one.

food security

institutional trust

representative institutions

state institutions

public health

East-Africa

Afrobarometer

Author

Dilling, Martijn

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

International Relations and Organizations

Supervisors

Phillips, J.P.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en