Publication

This paper examines the subject of natural resources and conflict. First, it builds on an argument in earlier research on the Nuba Mountains that purely resource-based explanations are not sufficient to find comprehensive measures for conflict resolution, showing that any resource scarcity explanation needs to be incorporated in its prevailing socio-cultural and political context. It is further argued that the mere existence of resources is not necessarily a reason for conflict and that resources only gain prominence and become conflict-prone in the social context that dictates their desirability and value. Second, the paper provides insights into the causes of conflict in the early 1980s and the current situation, which to an extent resemble each other.