What Is a Civil War? A Critical Review of Its Definition and (Econometric) Consequences

What Is a Civil War? A Critical Review of Its Definition and (Econometric) Consequences

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The authors argue that the academic literature, both qualitative and quantitative, has mislabeled most episodes of large-scale violence in Africa as civil war; these episodes better fit their concept of regional war complexes. The paper seeks to highlight the fundamental flaws in the conception of civil war in the econometric literature and their implications for econometric specification and estimation, problems that this literature is inherently incapable of rectifying. The authors advocate the comparative study of regional war complexes in Africa based on historical narratives.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gersovitz, Mark, Kriger, Norma
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2013-04
Subjects:ACCORDS, AIR FORCE, ALLIANCE, ALLIANCES, ANARCHY, ARMED CONFLICT, ARMED CONFLICTS, ARMIES, ARMS, ARMY, BATTLE, BATTLES, BOUNDARIES, BOUNDARY, CITIZENSHIP, CIVIL WAR, CIVIL WARS, COLD WAR, COMBAT, COMBATANTS, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, CONFLICT RESEARCH, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, CONFLICTS, CRISES, DEATHS, DEFENCE, DEFENSE, DISPLACED PERSONS, DRUG, EXPLOITATION, FIGHTING, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, FOREIGN INTERVENTION, FOREIGN POLICY, FOREIGNERS, GENOCIDE, GUERRILLA, GUERRILLA FORCES, GUERRILLAS, INTERDEPENDENCE, INTERNAL WAR, INTERNAL WARS, INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS, INTERNATIONAL BANK, INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT, INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES, INTERNATIONAL POLITICS, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, INTERNATIONAL WAR, INTERNATIONALIZATION, INVASIONS, MEDIATION, MILITARY BASES, MILITARY INTERVENTION, MILITARY POWER, MUTINIES, NATIONS, NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENTS, NEIGHBORING STATES, OBSERVERS, OUTBREAK, PEACE, PEACE AGREEMENTS, PEACE BUILDING, PEACE KEEPING, PEACE KEEPING FORCES, PEACE PROCESS, PEACE RESEARCH, PEACEKEEPERS, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, POSTWAR RECONSTRUCTION, REBEL, REBELS, RECONSTRUCTION, REFUGEE, REFUGEES, REGIONAL CONFLICT, REGIONAL CONFLICTS, REHABILITATION, RELIEF, REVOLUTIONS, SOLDIERS, SOVEREIGNTY, TERRORISM, VETERANS, VIOLENCE, VIOLENT CONFLICT, VIOLENT CONFLICTS, WARFARE,
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/04/17526706/civil-war-critical-review-definition-econometric-consequences
https://hdl.handle.net/10986/13202
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Summary:The authors argue that the academic literature, both qualitative and quantitative, has mislabeled most episodes of large-scale violence in Africa as civil war; these episodes better fit their concept of regional war complexes. The paper seeks to highlight the fundamental flaws in the conception of civil war in the econometric literature and their implications for econometric specification and estimation, problems that this literature is inherently incapable of rectifying. The authors advocate the comparative study of regional war complexes in Africa based on historical narratives.

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