This research investigates the link between agricultural intensification and civil conflict. Agricultural intensification is a widely promoted solution for food insecurity. However, this research...Show moreThis research investigates the link between agricultural intensification and civil conflict. Agricultural intensification is a widely promoted solution for food insecurity. However, this research theorizes that agricultural intensification creates disadvantages for the smallholder sector and thus might trigger civil conflict. An OLS, negative binomial, and logistic regression analysis correlate fertilizer-use in 37 African countries to the incidence and count of civil conflicts between 2004 and 2016. The empirical results are mixed and only partly significant. Yet, they indicate agricultural intensification to have a conflictreducing effect. Surprisingly, the outcome of intensification, that is higher agricultural productivity, is significantly associated with an increased risk of conflict. Also, as a mediator agricultural productivity creates a significant and positive indirect link between intensification and civil conflict. Hence, the conflict-enhancing capacity of agricultural intensification might be contingent on whether intensification leads to an increase in agricultural productivity. This opens pathways for future research, where the impact of agricultural productivity on conflict as well as the relation between intensification and productivity should be scrutinized.Show less
The protection of nature and wildlife is crucial today. More and more studies, however, speak of violent incidents involving protected areas. To investigate the relationship between protected areas...Show moreThe protection of nature and wildlife is crucial today. More and more studies, however, speak of violent incidents involving protected areas. To investigate the relationship between protected areas and low-intensity conflict, this article addresses the factors that increase the likelihood of low-intensity conflict when protected areas are established. Widely accepted explanations of rebellion focus on the grievance argument. As with the establishment of a protected area local communities are deprived of land and resources, this article argues that social unrest is likely to increase when protected areas are established. However, building on Ostrom’s “Governing the Commons” theory, intercommunal conflicts as well as social unrest are likely to decrease when a protected area is created. The literature on protected areas and its impact on conflict is vast, but primarily conducted qualitatively. By doing a quantitative study, this article attempts to fill an important gap in the literature. The results of this analysis cautiously suggest that current protected areas in Africa still provoke discontent, as low-intensity conflict increases when the amount of protected areas increases. Future studies are needed to further study the mechanisms that make conflict involving protected areas more or less likely.Show less
