The Long-Run Effects of Slave Trade on Civil Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa

Researchers focused on this region to examine the characteristics of conflict distinct to this area. Research questions included why some ethnic homelands in SSA experience civil conflict more frequently than others, what impact certain historical events have on present-day violence, and what channels through which slave trade affects present-day conflict. Approximately 80% of those affected by conflict are amongst the most underdeveloped nations and poorest people. Previous research has found that civil conflict and economic development are negatively related, commonly referred to as "development in reverse." The probability of an outbreak in civil war is directly correlated to economic conditions, such as income per capita. As a result, civil conflict is often studied alongside African economic development due to its high pervasiveness across the continent.