Oil and Conflict: Fatal Attraction. A Correlational Examination of Oil Resources and Armed Conflict

摘要

A concern over the potential for resource competition to serve as a driver for conflict has established the need to more fully examine the relationship between energy resources and conflict. This exploratory correlational study examined the relationship between oil resources, armed conflict and stability. The ability of abundant oil resources to attract conflict and the ability of oil resource deficits to compel participation in armed conflict abroad were both explored. Since instability may be a precursor to conflict, the relationship between oil resources and stability was also examined. Overall, no statistically significant relationships were found between oil resources and either armed conflict or stability. However, stability was significantly related to both hosting and participating in conflict, although with opposite polarities. Results indicate that in today's global environment oil resources alone may be insufficient as an indicator of energy's contribution to active, armed conflict.