Publications

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This synopsis on ‘resources and conflict’ presents 16 contemporary cases in which large projects from the areas of the extractive industries (oil, gas, and mining), logging and water management have led to violent or violence-prone conflicts. The synopsis comprises the core variables that determine the relationship between natural resources and conflict, with the focus on the linkages between private business, state institutions and local communities.
The underlying thesis is that a combination of
• extraction of natural resources,
• fragile state structures,
• involvement of external (multinational) enterprises and
• environmental and social impacts of resource extraction on local communities shape conflict situations in which violent conduct of conflict occurs or violent conflict escalation is an imminent danger.
Accordingly, the synopsis presents—besides some basic data and a brief outline of the case—the main private business actors, state and non-state local actors as well as characteristics of fragile statehood, types of conflict and options for good resource governance.
The introduction to the synopsis explains its structure and the selection of cases, and it elaborates on the core actors and their conflictual relationships. Finally, the concluding remarks present a comparison of cases and conclusions with regard to the prevention and the management of resource conflicts.