Political Economy Internal Seminar: Andrea Ichino

Abstract

It is costly for a society when descendants of former enemies continue to harbor animosity. This project investigates how many generations are required for a population to overcome a historical conflict that once divided it and the factors that either accelerate or hinder the resolution of such conflict. We measure the extent of conflict resolution over time with the frequency of marriages between and within descendants of the original opposing groups. We focus on Italian data concerning the 1943-45 conflict between fascists and anti-fascists. However, our analysis has broader applicability and can be extended to other countries facing similar conflicts.