Exposure to Violence as Explanatory Variable: Meaning, Measurement, and Theoretical Implications of Different Indicators

The study of intra-state violence has been a main focus of scholars since the end of the Cold War, and in recent years particular attention has been paid to the consequences of civil wars on future political, social, and economic development. Yet, understanding the consequences of political violence requires a clear working definition of what we mean when we say that someone was “exposed to” or was “a victim of” violence. Researchers use disparate measures ranging from living in a country that is categorized as a civil war case, despite living hundreds of miles away from areas of conflict, to being displaced and losing most of one’s family members in attacks. In this essay, we offer conceptual clarification for various forms of victimization and indirect forms of exposure, present examples of works using these different measurement strategies, and examine how different measures affect findings using a sample of articles. We conclude with recommendations about indicators researchers can choose from and suggest that future research should probe further into the use of subjective measures of exposure.