Does Contact Reduce Conflict? Experimental Evidence from Nigeria

Soeren J. Henn, assistant professor in political science, the University of Wisconsin–Madison

Thursday, October 15, 2026
10:00 AM
UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Rm 5391
337 Charles E Young Dr E
Los Angeles, CA 90095

ABOUT THE TALK

"Does Contact Reduce Conflict? Experimental Evidence from Nigeria" with Oeindrila Dube and James A. Robinson

Can contact between warring groups reduce conflict? We study this question in the context of farmer-herder violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt, conducting a multi-year randomized controlled trial across 286 communities. We examine two forms of contact: inter-dialogues, in which farmers and herders directly discuss the underlying sources of conflict, and health workshops, which induce contact without addressing the conflict. We find mixed results for the inter-dialogues: they strengthen social ties between leaders, create new dispute resolution institutions, and improve farmer cooperation, but also trigger an influx of outside nomadic herders into participating communities, reducing herder cooperation and generating disputes. Over a two-year horizon, the inter-dialogues are associated with a rise in violence. The health workshops undermine inter-group relations through a different mechanism — they worsen stereotypes and reduce empathy, symmetrically reducing cooperation by farmers and herders, while also leading to more economic disputes. Together, our findings suggest that contact interventions can backfire in active conflict settings, and even short-run improvements in cooperation can generate dynamics that ultimately escalate violence.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Soeren J. Henn is an Assistant Professor in Political Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison working on political economy of development in sub-Saharan Africa. Using a range of methods, from field and natural experiments to qualitative interviews, his research aims to address the overarching question of what characterizes governance in fragile states and how it might be improved.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Connor Huff is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at UCLA. He is also the Associate Director of the UCLA Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations. Professor Huff’s research focuses on the causes and consequences of violent conflict. A central contribution of his work is showing how individuals’ experiences with injustice shape their conflict behavior. His book, Why Rebels Reject Peace: Injustice and the Making of Extremists, demonstrates how governments' repressive behavior both before conflicts begin, and as they unfold, explains why rebels refuse to accept compromise peace settlements. His published research also shows how discriminatory policies, institutions, and beliefs can lead to inequality in defense and national security contexts.