Conflict and social capital: Evidence from the Russian War against Ukraine

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and social capital. Using survey data of the Ukrainian population, we apply two measures of conflict exposure: geocoded conflict data and self-reported war experience. We find that objective war events are associated with lower levels of prosocial behavior and institutional trust, while subjective war experiences show a positive correlation with prosociality and a negative correlation with institutional trust. These findings highlight the complex interplay between objective and subjective war measures and underscores the importance of considering both quantitative and qualitative aspects of war experiences in understanding their impact on human behavior.