More Guns Yields Less Butter: Child Mortality and the Mediators of Praetorian Militarization

• In Event: 129 - Section on Peace, War, and Social Conflict Paper Session. New Directions in Peace, War and Social Conflict

Abstract

Previous theory and research have indicated that militarization affects the well-being of civilian populations. Proponents of social militarization argue that building-up armies requires the development of infrastructures that support the military, with beneficial effects for the general population. Proponents an approach focused on praetorian militarization expect to find adverse effects of this particular form of militarization. This paper examines the impact of these two forms of militarization using a pooled time series analysis covering the period from 1996 through 2008. Our research finds significant effects of both types of militarization even after controlling for potential confounding factors. The impact of militarization on are mediated by access to basic public health infrastructures and education.

Authors

• Steven Carlton-Ford, University of Cincinnati

• Katherine Durante, University of Cincinnati

• Ciera Alesha Graham, University of Cincinnati

• T. David Evans, University of Cincinnati

• Rasha Aly, University of Cincinnati