Can War Foster Cooperation? / Michal Bauer, Christopher Blattman, Julie Chytilová, Joseph Henrich, Edward Miguel, Tamar Mitts.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bauer, Michal.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Blattman, Christopher.

Chytilová, Julie.

Henrich, Joseph.

Miguel, Edward.

Mitts, Tamar.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w22312.

NBER working paper series no. w22312

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2016.

Summary:

In the past decade, nearly 20 studies have found a strong, persistent pattern in surveys and behavioral experiments from over 40 countries: individual exposure to war violence tends to increase social cooperation at the local level, including community participation and prosocial behavior. Thus while war has many negative legacies for individuals and societies, it appears to leave a positive legacy in terms of local cooperation and civic engagement. We discuss, synthesize and reanalyze the emerging body of evidence, and weigh alternative explanations. There is some indication that war violence especially enhances in-group or "parochial" norms and preferences, a finding that, if true, suggests that the rising social cohesion we document need not promote broader peace.

Notes:

Print version record

June 2016.