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Does Contact reduce Conflict? Experimental Evidence from Nigeria
Presented by:
Soeren Henn
Department of Political Science
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Thursday, December 5, 2024
3:45 pm-5:00 pm
Taylor-Hibbard Seminar Room (Rm103)
In this study we will investigate whether “contact” can help resolve the endemic farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria. The Contact Hypothesis postulates that contact between groups can resolve conflicts, yet causal evidence of its effect on active conflicts is limited. Our study will provide the first field experimental micro evidence on whether, and how, contact influences conflict. In collaboration with an NGO, we will conduct a RCT that convenes inter-dialogues with farmers and herders in 63 communities. Our analysis will test whether contact can reduce conflict even when the underlying conflict is economic in nature. In addition, we will provide the first evidence on potential mechanisms through which contact influences conflict. Specifically, we will examine whether this works via the more traditional economic channels of information revelation and commitment, or whether behavioral channels such as de-humanization and the creation of new social links serve as the key mechanisms.