On the Theory of Ethnic Conflict

Francesco Caselli and Wilbur Coleman

No 12125, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We present a theory of ethnic conflict in which coalitions formed along ethnic lines compete for the economy's resources. The role of ethnicity is to enforce coalition membership: in ethnically homogeneous societies members of the losing coalition can defect to the winners at low cost, and this rules out conflict as an equilibrium outcome. We derive a number of implications of the model relating social, political, and economic indicators such as the incidence of conflict, the distance among ethnic groups, group sizes, income inequality, and expropriable resources.

JEL-codes: P48 Q34 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-soc
Note: EFG
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (54)

Published as Francesco Caselli & Wilbur John Coleman II, 2013. "On The Theory Of Ethnic Conflict," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 11, pages 161-192, 01.

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Related works:
Journal Article: ON THE THEORY OF ETHNIC CONFLICT (2013)
Working Paper: On the theory of ethnic conflict (2013)
Working Paper: On the Theory of Ethnic Conflict (2008)
Working Paper: On the theory of ethnic conflict (2007)
Working Paper: On the Theory of Ethnic Conflict (2006)
Working Paper: On the Theory of Ethnic Conflict (2006)
Working Paper: On the theory of ethnic conflict (2006)
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