Violent conflicts are a substantial barrier to economic development. Almost one third of the world’s population lives in conflict-affected low income countries. Yet little is known about the effects of conflict on household behaviour, household welfare and poverty. The Households in Conflict Network (HiCN) brings together researchers interested in the micro-economic and econometric analysis of the relationship between violent conflict and household behaviour.
The purpose of HiCN is to undertake collaborative research into the causes and effects of violent conflict at the household level. In particular, the researchers affiliated to the Network are committed to:
- characterise various forms of conflict from a household level perspective
- identify channels through which households are affected by conflict-induced shocks
- quantify the impact of conflict at the household level, such as the loss of household members, livestock and land;
- analyse the feedback mechanism from household behaviour to violent conflict, such as the effects of inequality and poverty on the incidence of conflict
- develop methods best suited to analyse the impact of conflict on household welfare, using household surveys
- derive policy recommendations based on research findings for supporting households and communities affected by conflict.
In 2006, funding was successfully gained for a five-year, European Commission funded research project, ‘A Micro Level Analysis of Violent Conflict (MICROCON)‘ which developed out of HiCN.
For more information, please see the HiCN website which provides:
- Research papers published by HiCN Fellows
- Information about relevant surveys and household datasets
- News about research activities
- Links to related research groups and websites
Key contacts
