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Homework 2

Two journals chosen for this assignment are: “The microeconomics of violent conflict” by

Verwimp et al. (2019) and “The dark side of environmental peace-building” by Ide (2020).

Box 7.2 Reading for the ‘bumps’: six questions that will help you work out what a source is

about

1. To which subject does the source contribute?

Verwimp et al. (2019) wrote about macroeconomics and Ide (2020) studied environmental

peace-building.

2. What problem is being addressed?

The article written by Verwimp et al. (2019) addressed various problems related to

microeconomics. The issues include misperceptions concerning the microeconomics of conflict

and various aspects that contribute to economic theory, such as data, methods, and empirics.

Ide’s (2020) addressed the adverse effects of environmental peace-building, which have received

little attention from researchers, making them under-researched.

3. Why are the subject and problem significant?

The subject and problem addressed in both articles are significant. Verwimp et al. (2020), for

example, presented topics that people need to understand in their economic world and to help

them interpret events, which can either indirectly or directly impact them. Also, Ide (2020), for

instance, highlighted adverse impacts of environmental peace-building, which can enhance the

public’s ability to evaluate and comprehend critical issues on environmental peace-building.

4. What method is used to solve the problem and why is it appropriate?

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In both journals, authors have detail explained how the problem they have addressed can be

solved. The explanation of the authors is appropriate because it includes credible and reliable

from other sources.

5. What is the solution?

By addressing the negative impacts of environmental peace-building, Ide (2020) recommended

that practitioners and researchers need to develop initiatives and programs for solving problems

and threats in environmental peace-building. Verwimp et al. (2019) suggested that teaching in

economic and the discipline-specific needs to keep pace with the current intellectual

development in microeconomics of violent conflicts.

6. Is there any mention of significant concepts, theories, debates or people in the field?

Both Verwimp et al.’s (2019) and Ide’s (2020) article mentioned that important concepts,

theories, and debates. Verwimp et al. (2019) mentioned that there has been a recent development

in the field of the microeconomics of violent conflict, especially on theory. The empirical

evidence led to generation of new theoretical contributions, including the household decision-

making and social preferences, the political economy of development, and behavior. Ide (2020)

presented the debate on environmental degradation, which is a controversial issue in

environmental peace-building between states.

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Box 10.2 Questions that can guide your evaluations

• Is the subject of the work worthy of our attention?

The two journals I have selected address important topics, environmental peace-building and

microeconomics, which I believe can attract attention of every person.

• Is the problem being addressed worthy of our attention?

Since the subject worthy my attention, the problems addressed also worthy my attention.

• Is the method used to solve the problem appropriate?

Yes, the authors of the two articles adopted appropriate methods to solve the problem their

addressed.

• If the work is empirical, are the data reliable – will the same data be obtained in a

replication?

The data in the Verwimp et al.’s (2019) and Ide’s (2020) articles are reliable and replicable. The

articles were peer-reviewed for quality and accuracy before publication.

• If the work is empirical, is a test valid – does it measure what it claims to measure?

Both works have measured what they claimed to measure.

• If the work is empirical, have statistics been appropriately analyzed?

Although the work empirical, there not statistically analyzed data.

• If the work is empirical, have sample sizes been appropriate?

No sample sizes included in both articles.

• Are claims supported by sufficient evidence and reasoning?

The claims presented in the studies are supported by sufficient evidence and reasoning.

• Have all significant perspectives been considered?

Yes, all important perspectives have been considered.

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• Has the analysis gone into sufficient detail?

The analysis of both works have portrayed adequate detail.

• If a theory is used (a theory is an account of how the world works), does it adequately

explain a phenomenon; conversely, is it a reasonable generalization from phenomena that

have been observed?

The used theory explicitly explain the phenomenon addressed in each article.

• Is the work well structured and clearly expressed?

Both works are structure and expressed well and clearly.

• Does the author have a conflict of interest?

Ide (2020) declared that there was not conflict of interest, which could have interfered with the

work reported in Ide’s article. However, Verwimp et al. (2019) did not mentioned about their

conflict of interest.