(University of Oregon, 2000-12) Holland, Caroline M., 1986-
This study examines the effect oil has on the onset and duration of conflict. In the
"resource curse" literature, researchers argue that a state's abundance in natural resources
can raise the likelihood of civil war. Such findings are largely based on correlations from
large-n statistical studies or are hypotheses from individual case studies. These
approaches fail to check the causal validity of key variables in multiple cases. Using a data-set comprised of sixteen countries that have experienced both oil extraction and civil
war, this study conducts a qualitative causal variable analysis within these cases, while
also checking the causal significance of key variables across cases. This study of oil-related
civil wars analyzes the cross-case validity and overall relevance of: rebel greed,
citizen grievances, unemployment in oil-rich regions, state military spending, clientelistic
patterns of oil rent distribution, and oil-sector nationalization schemes.
