Abstract
We analyse rural household livelihood and child school enrolment
decisions in the post-conflict setting of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region of
Bangladesh. What makes this paper innovative is the use of current subjective perceptions
regarding the possibility of violence in the future and past actual experiences
of violence in explaining household economic decision-making. Preferences
are endogenous in line with behavioural economics. Regression results show that
heightened subjective perceptions of future violence and past actual experiences
of conflict influence current consumption and child enrolment and could encourage
risky mixed crop cultivation. The trauma emanating from past experiences
combined with current high perceptions of risk of violence may induce bolder
and riskier behaviour in line with prospect theories of risk. Furthermore, a postconflict
household-level Phoenix or economic revival factor may be in operation,
based partially on greater within-group trust.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Poverty Reduction Policies and Practices in Developing Asia |
| Editors | Almas Heshmati, Esfandiar Maasoumi, Guanghua Wan |
| Publisher | Springer Verlag |
| Pages | 145-162 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-981-287-419-1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Keywords
- Perceptions of violence Post-conflict reconstruction Risk Livelihood decision-making
