Mapping Local State Capacity
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Mapping Local State Capacity. / Agneman, Gustav; Brandt, Kasper; Cappelen, Christoffer; Sjöberg, David.
In: SSRN: Social Science Research Network , 2022.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Mapping Local State Capacity
AU - Agneman, Gustav
AU - Brandt, Kasper
AU - Cappelen, Christoffer
AU - Sjöberg, David
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - The ability of states to exercise authority often varies considerably within their borders. Yet, the empirical literature on state capacity has typically relied on country-level indicators of state capacity. In this paper, we develop a measure of local state capacity for all five-kilometer grid cells across Sub-Saharan Africa. The measure builds on geocoded survey data on local state presence, which we predict and extrapolate through a machine learning model using readily available data on the costs and benefits of capacity building across space. We showcase the usefulness of measuring state capacity at a local level by employing the index as a moderating factor in the relationship between oil wealth and violent conflict and show that areas with higher levels of state capacity face lower risks of conflict outbreak due to exogenous oil wealth shocks.
AB - The ability of states to exercise authority often varies considerably within their borders. Yet, the empirical literature on state capacity has typically relied on country-level indicators of state capacity. In this paper, we develop a measure of local state capacity for all five-kilometer grid cells across Sub-Saharan Africa. The measure builds on geocoded survey data on local state presence, which we predict and extrapolate through a machine learning model using readily available data on the costs and benefits of capacity building across space. We showcase the usefulness of measuring state capacity at a local level by employing the index as a moderating factor in the relationship between oil wealth and violent conflict and show that areas with higher levels of state capacity face lower risks of conflict outbreak due to exogenous oil wealth shocks.
U2 - 10.2139/ssrn.4184751
DO - 10.2139/ssrn.4184751
M3 - Journal article
JO - SSRN: Social Science Research Network
JF - SSRN: Social Science Research Network
SN - 1556-5068
ER -
ID: 336609041