2012/06/21 by Prakash Adhikari · 216 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Affect (linguistics) #Argument (complex analysis) #Armed conflict #Demographic economics #Displacement (psychology) #Economics #Empirical research #Forced migration #Geography #Hydropower, Displacement, Environmental Impact #Law #Political Conflict and Governance #Political science #Politics #Psychology #Public opinion #Refugee #Social psychology #South Asian Studies and Conflicts #Terrain #Test (biology)
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1540-5907.2012.00598.x
published in American Journal of Political Science 57(1), 82-89 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 2012/06/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
This study investigates circumstances that affect individuals’ decisions of whether or not to flee their homes during civilian conflicts. Building on the “choice‐centered” approach to studying forced migration, I test the argument that people make a decision to flee or stay even under highly dangerous circumstances. Using primary data collected through a public opinion survey in Nepal, I test a number of hypotheses regarding the impact of factors such as violence, economic opportunity, physical infrastructure or geographical terrain, and social networks on forced migration, providing an individual‐level test of the choice‐centered approach to studying forced migration. The empirical results are consistent with the major hypotheses developed in aggregate‐level studies and provide better insights into the factors that affect individual‐level behavior. Beyond conflict, there are a number of significant economic, social, physical, and political factors that affect individuals’ choice to flee.