Coding Instructions for the Variable Contested Institutions

Kurt Dassel and Eric Reinhardt

"Domestic Strife and the Initiation of Violence at Home and Abroad"

November 17, 1997

For the background to this discussion, see http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~erein/research/ and http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~erein/data/#Violence.

The most basic indicator of contested institutions is a dummy variable (CI1), in which 1 indicates institutions are contested in that year, and 0 that they are not. From this dummy, we calculate longer periods of contested institutions. The precise coding for CI1 is as follows. When "Major Abrupt Polity Change" (MAPC)=0, 1, 66, or 88, then CI1=0. When MAPC=77, CI1=1 in all but one case (Italy, 1944). In this case, CI1=0.

When MAPC=2 (Old Nation, Polity Termination), then CI1’s coding depends upon variables Term1, Term2, Term3, and Term4; the four variables describing the circumstances surrounding "Old Nation, Polity Termination" (i.e. MAPC=2). If Term1=1, then CI1’s coding depends upon Term3 and Term4; if Term1=2, then CI=0; and if Term1=3, then CI=1. If Term2>0, then CI1 depends upon Term3 & Term 4. If Term3>0, then CI1=1. If Term4=2, 4, or 6, then CI1=1; it Term4=1, 3, or 5, then CI1=0.

When MAPC=3 (Old Nation, New Polity Established), then CI1’s coding depends upon variables Orig3, Orig4, and Orig5. If Orig3>0, then CI’s coding depends upon Orig4 and Orig5. If Orig 4>0, then CI1=1. If Orig5=2, 4, or 6, then CI1=1; if Orig5=1, 3, or 5, then CI1=0.

When MAPC=4 (Old Nation, Old Polity Terminated and New Polity Established), then CI1’s coding depends upon Term2-4, and Orig3-5 (Term1, Orig1, and Orig2 are all missing data as should be the case). If Term2>0, then see Orig3. If Term3>0, then CI1=1. If Term4=2, 4, or 6, then CI1=1; it Term4=1, 3, or 5, then CI1=0. If Orig3>0, then CI1’s coding depends upon Orig4 and Orig5. If Orig4>0, then CI1=1. If Orig5=2, 4, or 6, then CI1=1; if Orig5=1, 3, or 5, then CI1=0.

When MAPC=1, 2, 3, or 4, but the circumstances surrounding polity change are not coded (i.e. data is missing for Term1-4 and Orig1-5), then CI1=. (i.e. missing data).