Speaker: Megan Turnbull, Research Fellow, International Security Program

This seminar explains how election violence is jointly organized by political elites and different nonstate groups in Nigeria. Around the world, incumbents increasingly resort to violence and intimidation to manipulate elections. In doing so, they often turn to various nonstate actors to carry out violence on their behalf. Under what conditions do politicians seek to organize election violence, and why do different nonstate groups agree to perpetrate violence for them? Through four comparative case studies from Nigeria, the project demonstrates how local political orders shape the capacity and the incentives for politicians and nonstate groups to organize violence during elections.

Everyone is welcome to join us online via Zoom! Please register in advance for this seminar:
https://harvard.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMuceuqrT0iEtCwmotshvWef8t0UOvI7pz-

Speaker: Megan Turnbull, Research Fellow, International Security Program

Why do governments and armed groups cooperate in some places and times, violently engage each other in others, and reluctantly tolerate one another still elsewhere? Megan Turnbull argues that the management of coalitional threats in the periphery and the nature of armed groups' ties with local communities (protective or predatory) explain when national-level incumbents collude with, repress, or reluctantly tolerate armed groups. She draws on comparative case studies from Nigeria and Kenya to empirically support her argument and assess rival explanations. The findings contribute to scholarship on armed politics and political orders.

Everyone is welcome to join us online via Zoom! Please register in advance for this seminar:
https://harvard.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEuc--uqDMpEtWAJuYMx-ANgjOL3CI1k3Al