ABSTRACT
This chapter develops a series of statistical models to directly test four hypotheses derived from this logic. At the heart of the logic outlined was the belief that non-random distributions of conflict hot spots emerge as a consequence of spatial heterogeneity in both state- and neighborhood-level characteristics. Militarized Interstate Dispute Location (MIDLOC) might be ideal, therefore, to carry out tests to uncover the correlates of conflict hot spots at the local level, thus fully exploiting the geographic sensitivity inherent in the available data. The chapter examines hypothesis which posits a relationship between the location of valuable natural resources and the emergence of conflict hot spots, operationalize three further dummy variables. Hypothesis posited that heterogeneous geopolitical endowments of natural resources would be shown to have a bearing upon the incidence and location of conflict hot spots. The chapter concluded that conflict hot spots result systematically from local sources of spatial heterogeneity in state and neighborhood characteristics are certainly meaningful.
