Horizontal inequality and armed conflict: a comprehensive literature review. Issue 4 (2nd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hillesund, Solveig; Bahgat, Karim; Barrett, Gray; Dupuy, Kendra; Gates, Scott; Nygård, Håvard Mokleiv; Rustad, Siri Aas; Strand, Håvard; Urdal, Henrik; Østby, Gudrun
• Is Part Of: Revue canadienne d'études du développement. Volume 39:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 463
• Page End: 480
• Publication Date: 2018-10-02
• Subjects: Armed conflict -- inequality -- vertical inequality -- horizontal inequality -- conflict prevention; Technical assistance -- Periodicals; Economic assistance -- Periodicals; Technical assistance, Canadian -- Periodicals; Economic assistance, Canadian -- Periodicals; International economic relations -- Periodicals; Economic policy -- Periodicals; Economic history -- Periodicals; 338.9105
• DOI: 10.1080/02255189.2018.1517641
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0225-5189

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Investigation of whether, how, and why inequality influences the dynamics of violent conflict has a long intellectual history. Inequality between individuals and households (vertical inequality) has dominated the literature, but recently attention has shifted to the role of group-based inequalities in triggering violence. Our review of research on the relationship between conflict mobilisation and violence, and "horizontal inequality" (inequalities based on group identities such as ethnicity, region, and religion) reveals solid support for the argument that high levels of horizontal economic and political inequalities among the relatively deprived make violent conflict more likely.