Rationality as a barrier to Peace: Micro-evidence from Kosovo

Type Journal Article - Comparative Economic Studies
Title Rationality as a barrier to Peace: Micro-evidence from Kosovo
Author(s)
Volume 51
Issue 2
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2009
Page numbers 242-264
URL ftp://repec.iza.org/RePEc/Discussionpaper/dp2682.pdf
Abstract
Despite a significant expansion of the literature on conflicts and fragility of states, only a few systematic attempts have been made to link the theoretical literature on social conflicts to the available micro-level information about the people who are involved in these conflicts. We address this lacuna in the literature using a household-level data set from Kosovo. Our analysis suggests that it is individually rational for competing ethnic communities, Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs, to resist a quick agreement on a social contract to share the region's resources.

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