Charlotte Rohrer | University Of Bayreuth, Germany (original) (raw)

Papers by Charlotte Rohrer

Research paper thumbnail of Can Foreign Aid Reduce the Amount of Terrorist Attacks

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing terrorism as a key purpose of foreign aid.... more Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing terrorism as a key purpose of foreign aid. Countries with a high number of terrorist incidents such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq have received considerable amounts of aid meant to address the root causes of terrorism and political violence. However, there is some debate on whether aid can achieve this purpose. This paper analyzes quantitative and qualitative evidence to assess whether foreign aid can reduce terrorist activity. It specifically examines whether developmental assistance can reduce the amount of terrorist violence in a country through addressing political and economic grievances. Building on existing literature, the paper hypothesizes that foreign aid will reduce terrorist violence. However, this relationship is likely conditional on existing institutions as well as the success record of projects. Corruption can mitigate the positive impact of aid. Data on foreign aid and terrorist violence in 36 African countries from 1970 to 2013 are analyzed to test this hypothesis. The quantitative analysis found that an increase in foreign aid is associated with less terrorist activity, however there was not enough evidence to conclude that lower grievances are associated with less terrorism. Additionally, there was not enough evidence to conclude that foreign aid is able to address grievances. Case studies of the role of foreign aid in Kenya and Nigeria provide further detail on the role of aid for terrorist activities. These case studies showed that the decrease in foreign aid can in turn increase terrorist attacks as seen in Nigeria. Conversely, in the case of Kenya foreign aid is high, however attacks are as well. Throughout, this research finds that foreign aid is able to reduce terrorism, however this depends heavily on existing policy and institutions. Additionally, the case studies as well as existing literature show that grievances play an important role in terms of motivating terrorism. Unfortunately, I did not find enough evidence to support that foreign aid is able to address these grievances and in turn lower terrorism. This will allow the foreign policy community to better understand the impact foreign aid has on terrorist violence, allowing possible improvement. The findings of this research show that foreign aid can have an impact on terrorism. Possible improvement may include strengthening institutions and policies in aid-receiving nations as well as further targeting grievances in nations with foreign aid

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of Foreign Aid on Political Violence: Learning From Case Studies of Nigeria and Sierra Leone

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpos... more Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpose of foreign aid. For example, countries such as Pakistan and Iraq have received considerable amounts of aid meant to address the root causes of political violence. This project analyzes quantitative and qualitative evidence to assess whether foreign aid can reduce political violence. The quantitative and qualitative analyses study Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone to focus on regional and country-wide political violence. The study further focuses on aid projects in Sierra Leone and Nigeria as a means to reduce or curb this violence. This paper finds evidence for aid projects playing a significant role in reducing political violence or reconsolidating a country after a conflict. However, this is highly contingent on the projects addressing and adequately understanding the needs in these countries.

Research paper thumbnail of Can Foreign Aid Reduce the Amount of Terrorist Attacks

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of Foreign Aid on Political Violence: Learning From Case Studies of Nigeria and Sierra Leone

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpos... more Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpose of foreign aid. For example, countries such as Pakistan and Iraq have received considerable amounts of aid meant to address the root causes of political violence. This project analyzes quantitative and qualitative evidence to assess whether foreign aid can reduce political violence. The quantitative and qualitative analyses study Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone to focus on regional and country-wide political violence. The study further focuses on aid projects in Sierra Leone and Nigeria as a means to reduce or curb this violence. This paper finds evidence for aid projects playing a significant role in reducing political violence or reconsolidating a country after a conflict. However, this is highly contingent on the projects addressing and adequately understanding the needs in these countries. Note: This honors thesis began as a Ursinus College ...

Research paper thumbnail of Can foreign aid reduce the amount of terrorist attacks?

Ursinus College Summer Fellows, 2018

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing terrorism as a key purpose of foreign aid.

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of Foreign Aid on Political Violence: Learning from Case Studies of Nigeria and Sierra Leone, Ursinus College Honors Thesis

Ursinus College Honors in Politics, 2019

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpos... more Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpose of foreign aid. For example, countries such as Pakistan and Iraq have received considerable amounts of aid meant to address the root causes of political violence. This project analyzes quantitative and qualitative evidence to assess whether foreign aid can reduce political violence. The quantitative and qualitative analyses study Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone to focus on regional and country-wide political violence. The study further focuses on aid projects in Sierra Leone and Nigeria as a means to reduce or curb this violence. This paper finds evidence for aid projects playing a significant role in reducing political violence or reconsolidating a country after a conflict. However, this is highly contingent on the projects addressing and adequately understanding the needs in these countries.

Drafts by Charlotte Rohrer

Research paper thumbnail of Analyzing the Central African Republic in terms of their government

Research paper thumbnail of How the state of economy affects the success of right wing candidates

Research paper thumbnail of Memorandum about the War on Terror and Torture

Research paper thumbnail of Memorandum about the Syrian Civil War

Research paper thumbnail of How and why does Counterterrorism Legislation differ Country from Country: An Analysis of the USA PATRIOT Act and France's state of emergency laws

Research paper thumbnail of Should the U.S send troops to Syria and Iraq to fight ISIS?

Research paper thumbnail of Can Foreign Aid Reduce the Amount of Terrorist Attacks

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing terrorism as a key purpose of foreign aid.... more Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing terrorism as a key purpose of foreign aid. Countries with a high number of terrorist incidents such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq have received considerable amounts of aid meant to address the root causes of terrorism and political violence. However, there is some debate on whether aid can achieve this purpose. This paper analyzes quantitative and qualitative evidence to assess whether foreign aid can reduce terrorist activity. It specifically examines whether developmental assistance can reduce the amount of terrorist violence in a country through addressing political and economic grievances. Building on existing literature, the paper hypothesizes that foreign aid will reduce terrorist violence. However, this relationship is likely conditional on existing institutions as well as the success record of projects. Corruption can mitigate the positive impact of aid. Data on foreign aid and terrorist violence in 36 African countries from 1970 to 2013 are analyzed to test this hypothesis. The quantitative analysis found that an increase in foreign aid is associated with less terrorist activity, however there was not enough evidence to conclude that lower grievances are associated with less terrorism. Additionally, there was not enough evidence to conclude that foreign aid is able to address grievances. Case studies of the role of foreign aid in Kenya and Nigeria provide further detail on the role of aid for terrorist activities. These case studies showed that the decrease in foreign aid can in turn increase terrorist attacks as seen in Nigeria. Conversely, in the case of Kenya foreign aid is high, however attacks are as well. Throughout, this research finds that foreign aid is able to reduce terrorism, however this depends heavily on existing policy and institutions. Additionally, the case studies as well as existing literature show that grievances play an important role in terms of motivating terrorism. Unfortunately, I did not find enough evidence to support that foreign aid is able to address these grievances and in turn lower terrorism. This will allow the foreign policy community to better understand the impact foreign aid has on terrorist violence, allowing possible improvement. The findings of this research show that foreign aid can have an impact on terrorism. Possible improvement may include strengthening institutions and policies in aid-receiving nations as well as further targeting grievances in nations with foreign aid

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of Foreign Aid on Political Violence: Learning From Case Studies of Nigeria and Sierra Leone

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpos... more Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpose of foreign aid. For example, countries such as Pakistan and Iraq have received considerable amounts of aid meant to address the root causes of political violence. This project analyzes quantitative and qualitative evidence to assess whether foreign aid can reduce political violence. The quantitative and qualitative analyses study Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone to focus on regional and country-wide political violence. The study further focuses on aid projects in Sierra Leone and Nigeria as a means to reduce or curb this violence. This paper finds evidence for aid projects playing a significant role in reducing political violence or reconsolidating a country after a conflict. However, this is highly contingent on the projects addressing and adequately understanding the needs in these countries.

Research paper thumbnail of Can Foreign Aid Reduce the Amount of Terrorist Attacks

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of Foreign Aid on Political Violence: Learning From Case Studies of Nigeria and Sierra Leone

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpos... more Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpose of foreign aid. For example, countries such as Pakistan and Iraq have received considerable amounts of aid meant to address the root causes of political violence. This project analyzes quantitative and qualitative evidence to assess whether foreign aid can reduce political violence. The quantitative and qualitative analyses study Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone to focus on regional and country-wide political violence. The study further focuses on aid projects in Sierra Leone and Nigeria as a means to reduce or curb this violence. This paper finds evidence for aid projects playing a significant role in reducing political violence or reconsolidating a country after a conflict. However, this is highly contingent on the projects addressing and adequately understanding the needs in these countries. Note: This honors thesis began as a Ursinus College ...

Research paper thumbnail of Can foreign aid reduce the amount of terrorist attacks?

Ursinus College Summer Fellows, 2018

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing terrorism as a key purpose of foreign aid.

Research paper thumbnail of The Effect of Foreign Aid on Political Violence: Learning from Case Studies of Nigeria and Sierra Leone, Ursinus College Honors Thesis

Ursinus College Honors in Politics, 2019

Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpos... more Policymakers in OECD countries regularly cite reducing political violence as a fundamental purpose of foreign aid. For example, countries such as Pakistan and Iraq have received considerable amounts of aid meant to address the root causes of political violence. This project analyzes quantitative and qualitative evidence to assess whether foreign aid can reduce political violence. The quantitative and qualitative analyses study Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone to focus on regional and country-wide political violence. The study further focuses on aid projects in Sierra Leone and Nigeria as a means to reduce or curb this violence. This paper finds evidence for aid projects playing a significant role in reducing political violence or reconsolidating a country after a conflict. However, this is highly contingent on the projects addressing and adequately understanding the needs in these countries.