Still Tools of Repression? Re-Assessing the Effect of Arms Imports on Physical Integrity Rights

Katharina Gabriela Pfaff, Agnes Brender

Publikation: Working/Discussion PaperWorking Paper/Preprint

Abstract

Small arms and light weapons (SALWs) imports have been found to be linked to a worsening of human rights conditions in the importing state. In this paper, we re-examine the relationship of government’s SALW imports and the decision to engage in violations of physical integrity rights using updated and more reliable repression data as well as proposing a different estimation strategy. Analyzing physical integrity rights violations and SALW imports of 176 countries from 1991 to 2010, empirical results indicate that SALW imports have a negative impact on respect for physical integrity rights. When disaggregating findings by regime type, we find that SALW imports in autocracies are associated with more repression, while we have mixed results for democracies.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 2018

Publikationsreihe

ReiheILE Working Paper Series
Nummer22

Österreichische Systematik der Wissenschaftszweige (ÖFOS)

  • 506008 Konfliktforschung
  • 502027 Politische Ökonomie
  • 504007 Empirische Sozialforschung

Zitat