Catlan Reardon

Catlan Reardon was the inaugural Einstein-Moos Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at Stanford University. She received a PhD in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 2022. Her research examines how communities manage violence, climate volatility, and governance challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on how non-state actors mediate these challenges within polarized contexts. She uses a mixed-methods research approach, including large-scale field experiments, surveys, and in-depth qualitative research.

King Center Supported Research

2022 - 2023 Academic Year | Global Development Research Funding

Examining the Effect of Climate Shocks and Migratory Shifts on Violence in Nigeria

Climate change, technological shifts, population growth, and soil degradation are transforming social relations across Africa. The pressures induced by these transformations have, in many instances, led to increased violence and conflict. In West Africa, where land and water are increasingly scarce resources, communal violence has increased steadily over the last decade, threatening the livelihoods and security of vulnerable populations. Much of this violence can be attributed to clashes between pastoralists and indigenous farming groups. According to ACLED, farmer-herder violence has resulted in over 15,000 deaths, half of which has occurred since 2018. In this study, Reardon will investigate two questions in the context of North-Central Nigeria. First, Reardon will examine the extent to which climate-induced shifts in migratory patterns of pastoralists affect violence and local development in North-Central Nigeria. Second, Reardon will explore the potential moderators of these climate shocks.