WarEffects
WarEffects investigates the transformative impacts of civil wars on societies. By employing innovative methodologies, the project explores changes in community cohesion, gender dynamics, and local governance in post-conflict regions like Colombia, DR Congo, and Sri Lanka.
About the research project
WarEffects: Understanding the Micro-Level Impacts of Wars and Insecurity on Community Cohesion, Gender Dynamics, and Local Politics
Does violence in civil wars affect women’s empowerment and gender relations? This question is at the heart of WarEffects, (external link) a research project (2022-2027) funded by the European Research Council and led by Associate Professor Carlo Koos (external link) at the Department of Government at the University of Bergen (external link).
In this project, we will explore if, how, and under what conditions violence in civil wars affects women's empowerment in particular and gender relations more broadly at the subnational and individual level. Empirically, we will combine survey experiments, archival data, GIS, and qualitative field research in Colombia, DR Congo, and Sri Lanka. Our goal is to significantly advance knowledge at the intersection of peace and conflict research, gender studies, and development economics.
Research profile
- Social cohesion: Exploring how conflict reshapes social bonds, trust, and cooperation in and across communities
- Gendered power relations: Investigating how civil wars redefine roles and relationships within households, communities, and the political sphere
- Local politics: Understanding how governance structures, representation, and participation evolve in the aftermath of conflict
WarEffects bridges research and real-world application, offering findings to inform peacebuilding efforts, governance reform, and policies that foster inclusive, cohesive, and resilient societies.
People
Project manager
Carlo Koos Principal investigator
Project members
Noah Celander Research Assistant
Daniil Chernov Research Assistant
Contact
- Emails
- carlo.koos@uib.no