Why and how do information and communication technologies (ICTs) shape the intensity of rebel violence? Recent studies find that ICTs can both increase and decrease such violence. We argue that, during civil wars, this effect depends on the type of ICTs. Mobile phones give rebels better military coordination to organize violence. In contrast, the internet increases the constraints of rebel groups to use violence. On the one hand, the internet increases the visibility of rebel groups forcing them to moderate their levels of violence. On the other hand, the internet gives rebels' opponents better tools to limit the levels of rebel violence. We test these two arguments empirically with panel data of rebel violence in countries experiencing a civil war from 1989 to 2007. Through a series of negative binomial regressions, we find general support for our hypotheses. For the case of the internet, we specifically find that its effects are concentrated in more recent periods when social media became more widespread.¿Por qué y cómo influyen las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) en la intensidad de la violencia de los rebeldes? Estudios recientes han demostrado que las TIC pueden tanto aumentar como disminuir dicha violencia. Nosotros sostenemos que, durante las guerras civiles, este efecto depende del tipo de TIC. Los teléfonos móviles proporcionan a los rebeldes una mejor coordinación militar para organizar la violencia. En cambio, Internet aumenta las limitaciones de los grupos rebeldes para utilizar la violencia. Por un lado, Internet aumenta la visibilidad de los grupos rebeldes y los obliga a moderar sus niveles de violencia. Por otro lado, Internet ofrece a los oponentes de los rebeldes mejores herramientas para limitar sus niveles de violencia. Probamos estos dos argumentos empíricamente con datos de panel de la violencia de rebeldes en países en los que hubo una guerra civil entre 1989 y 2007. Mediante una serie de regresiones binomiales negativas, encontramos un apoyo general a nuestras hipótesis. En el caso de Internet, descubrimos específicamente que sus efectos se concentran en los períodos más recientes cuando el uso de las redes sociales se generalizó.Pourquoi et comment les technologies de l'information et de la communication (TIC) façonnent-elles l'intensité de la violence KEYWORDS
The objective of this text is to describe the three categories that the Drug Policy Program at the Center for Teaching and Research in Economics (CIDE-PPD) database comprises, their limitations, and their main features. Additionally, we explain what we believe to be the source of the database we originally received and analyze its accuracy by comparing it with public records. We describe the validation and codification processes the database was subjected to, as well as the main biases and limitations the database may have. Additionally, we offer a preliminary analysis of the type of research that the CIDE-PPD Database can support. This analysis is not only relevant to those interested in studying the “war on drugs” in Mexico but also to those studying conflict in other countries involved in illegal drug production and trafficking, as well as countries experiencing conflicts related to organized crime.
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