Another ICSID-CSDSI Seminar on Diversity and Development

The International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development and NES Center for the Study of Diversity and Social Interactions held anotherjoint Research Seminar on Diversity and Development on March 31, 2015. This time Professor Ruben Enikolopov from New Economic School presented his paper "Winning Hearts and Minds: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Afghanistan".

The International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development and NES Center for the Study of Diversity and Social Interactions held anotherjoint Research Seminar on Diversity and Development on March 31, 2015. This time Professor Ruben Enikolopov from New Economic School presented his paper "Winning Hearts and Minds: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Afghanistan".

Paper abstract: Development programs are increasingly used not only as an instrument for economic and political development, but also as a tool for counterinsurgency. We explore the effectiveness of this approach using a large-scale randomized field experiment in Afghanistan. We find that aid associated with the country’s largest development program, can prevent the spread of insurgency in areas that do not border Pakistan, but is ineffective in containing conflict in areas bordering Pakistan.

These effects are mediated through a change in perceptions on governance and economic wellbeing. In light of recent divergent findings on the effect of aid in violent contexts, our results offer a more nuanced understanding of when and how it can foster security in conflict zones.