Legitimacy and Contested Governance: Evidence from Colombia

• In Event: Rebel Governance, Legitimacy, and Civilian Behavior

Abstract

On what basis do citizens make decisions about how they wish to be governed, and what shapes perceptions of legitimate rule? While prior research has shed light on patterns of governance in armed conflict, we know little about sources of civilian support in areas where multiple armed groups compete. Moreover, most existing research focuses exclusively on the behavior of insurgent groups. We extend the focus on armed group rule to a broader category of armed groups --including dissident rebels and large criminal organizations -- and the preferences of civilians governed by these groups. Empirically, we focus on contemporary Colombia, which after a peace agreement was signed in 2016 between the government and the FARC-EP still faces an array of competing armed groups. We outline three dimensions that we argue shape civilian attitudes towards armed groups: efficacy, community, and ideology. A conjoint survey experiment in more than fifty Colombian municipalities allow us to assess our understanding of armed group legitimacy and governance under contested rule.

Authors

• Erica Susanne De Bruin, Hamilton College

• Livia Isabella Schubiger, Duke University

• Michael Lee Weintraub, Universidad de los Andes