We study whether the spatial distribution of natural resources across different ethnic groups within countries impede spatial inequality, national economic performance, and the incidence of armed conflict. By providing a theoretical rent-seeking model and analysing a set of geocoded data for...

This paper studies if devolution of political power in conflict affected areas can reduce violence by providing an institutional means to address people's grievances. In particular, I look at the impact of a local government, introduced in tribal districts in 1996, on Maoist insurgency in India....

The Maoist insurgency in Nepal is one of the highest intensity internal conflicts in recent times. Investigation into the causes of the conflict would suggest that grievance rather than greed is the main motivating force. The concept of horizontal or intergroup inequality, with both an ethnic...