Statebuilding, Traditional Institutions & Gender: Evidence from Pakistan

• In Event: Trust, Solidarity, and Participation in South Asian Politics

Abstract

How do states consolidate control in weak areas, encouraging citizens to adopt their institutions instead of traditional alternatives? The Pakistani state recently undertook historic state expansion in its tribal areas, bringing key judicial institutions and standards to residents for the first time. I use a novel experiment with 2,100 respondents and a costly behavioral outcome to assess how state-building efforts like improving performance and appealing to minoritized groups impact the decision to comply. My results show evidence of a backlash effect, where upsetting existing power dynamics eclipses the overall benefits brought by a new formal institution. My findings suggest a dilemma for states as they attempt to consolidate control in areas of limited statehood, where the distributive consequences of state-building initiatives actually weaken state legitimacy.

Author

• Sarah F. Thompson, Cornell University