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Essays on the Economics of the Colombian Armed Conflict and Violence

Millan Quijano, JA; (2014) Essays on the Economics of the Colombian Armed Conflict and Violence (NA,, Trans.). Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London). Green open access

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Abstract

This thesis uses microeconometric methods to study the armed conflict in Colombia. Chapter 2 uses geographical and temporal variation in potential drug trafficking networks to instrument for the prevalence of violent crime in different regions of Colombia. Using changes in the prices of different international cocaine markets I identify exogenous changes in violence at municipality level. I exploit the comparative advantage that different regions in Colombia have when they are serving either the cocaine market in the US or Europe. My results suggest that homicide rates increase according to the comparative advantage each municipality has in the drug trade. However, I do not find strong evidence of the influence of drug trade over the placement and actions of left wing guerrillas or right wing paramilitary groups. Thereafter, chapter 3 uses the exogenous variation from drug trafficking to analyse the effect of homicides on the prevalence of early motherhood. My results suggest the one standard deviation increase in the homicide rate induces 2.65 p.p. increase in the probability of early motherhood. Chapter 4 proposes a microeconomic framework to describe the features of an optimal reintegration contract. In my model, a Principal (government) collects taxes from the community in order to fund a reintegration contract with the Agents (illegal soldiers). This contract involves a set of threats and benefits. The shape of such threats and benefits depends on the relative productivity of the security technology and the level of absorption of the labour markets. Last chapter concludes.

Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Title: Essays on the Economics of the Colombian Armed Conflict and Violence
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Language: English
Keywords: Colombia, Armed conflict, Illegal drug markets, Teenage pregnancy, DDR, Reintegration, Optimal contracts
UCL classification: UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Dept of Economics
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1431699
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