Development Strategies and Inter-Group Violence

"A lot of work had been done, and books written, on the subject of adverse impact of conflict and violence on economic development and poverty reduction. Yet this one stands out as a unique resource-it is a summary of years of work by the authors exploring various angles on development and conflict, a collection of wisdom carefully selected, analyzed and presented in a superbly structured, succinct, and logical manner-both an encyclopedia for scholars of development in conflict, as well as a practical manual for policymakers. A must read for a very broad audience, including international development professionals, policymakers in government, as well as the general public." (Konstantin Atanesyan, Senior Evaluation Officer, Independent Evaluation Group (Country, Corporate and Global Evaluations), World Bank Group) "This book provides fundamental coverage of our contemporary knowledge of how linkages between economic conditions and human actions feed into each other so as to mediate uses of violence and non-violence in societies. Its worldwide and historically deep use of existing evidence makes the book a unique resource for anybody who is interested in understanding the realities of the human mind in the context of our globalizing economic conditions. It is a must for politicians, economists, and the broader public who is seriously interested in understanding why violence prevails, and preventing it from happening once again." (Jaan Valsiner, Niels Bohr Professor of Cultural Psychology, Aalborg University, Denmark) "Asher and Mirovitskaya have written a helpful roadmap for development professionals attempting to design programs which reduce the likelihood of intercommunal violence. By considering the risks and rewards of alternative approaches to conflict prevention, their nuanced study avoids both naive enthusiasm and undue cynicism for development programs as a solution." (Andrew Natsios, Professor and Director of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, George H.W. Bush School of Government, Texas A&M University, USA)

Although many scholars and practitioners recognize that development and conflict are intertwined, there is much less understanding of the mechanisms behind these linkages. This book takes a new approach by critically examining how various development strategies provoke or help prevent intrastate violence, based on cases from all developing regions.Although many scholars and practitioners recognize that development and conflict are intertwined, there is much less understanding of the mechanisms behind these linkages. This book takes a new approach by critically examining how various development strategies provoke or help prevent intrastate violence, based on cases from all developing regions.