Omar Shahabudin McDoom
Who killed in Rwanda’s genocide? Micro-space, social influence and individual participation in intergroup violence
London School of Economics and Political Science
episodes intergroup violence group members participate although violence frequently framed occurring distinct ethnic racial sectarian groups easily overlooked usually subset groups members fact participate violence predicting participation extant research privileged atomistic approach identified individual attributes indicative predisposition violence suggest instead situational approach complement atomistic paradigm present evidence individuals microspatial environment important predictor differential participation intergroup violence using gis data 3426 residents one community map household locations participants nonparticipants victims rwandas 1994 genocide find participants likely live either neighbourhood household participants specifically number violent nonviolent individuals individuals neighbourhood household increases likelihood individuals participation also increases explaining neighbourhood household effects suggest social influence mechanism work microspatial distance decreases microsocial interaction increases neighbours household members exert influence participation participation may much product social interaction individual agency neighbours family members think say may influence participation collective action intergroup violence conceptualization neighbourhoods households microspheres influences suggests importance social structure determinant participation