Institutions are a key determinant of economic growth, but the critical junctures in which
institutions can change are not precisely defined. For example, such junctures are often …

Over the last decade, organized criminal violence has reached unprecedented levels and
has caused as much violent death globally as direct armed conflict. Nonetheless, the study …

Criminal groups govern millions worldwide. Even in strong states, gangs resolve disputes
and provide security. Why do these duopolies of coercion emerge? Often, gangs fill …

The world's poor--and programs to raise their incomes--are increasingly concentrated in
fragile states. We review the evidence on what interventions work, and whether stimulating …

How and why do rebel groups initially form? Prevailing scholarship has attributed the
emergence of armed rebellion to the explosion of pre-mobilized political or ethnic hostilities …

Debates over how governments can defeat insurgencies ebb and flow with international
events, becoming particularly contentious when the United States encounters problems in its …

Competitive elections are essential to establishing the political legitimacy of democratizing
regimes. We argue that insurgents undermine the state's mandate through electoral …

Food aid presents a core component of humanitarian support for people incapable of
meeting basic human needs and aims to bolster food security. However, some studies …

Ending civil conflict is difficult, particularly through political settlements. Conflicts now often
occur in states with elections, and voters have sometimes been directly involved in the …

Armed actors are often involved in electoral politics, from the fusing of ballots and bullets in
armed political parties to insurgents covertly backing politicians. We develop new concepts …