Exploring the relationship between prospect theory and international conflict: the Thai-Cambodian border dispute as a case study

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Otto F. von Feigenblatt

Abstract

The present paper explores the relationship between Prospect Theory and International Conflict by concentrating on key concepts such as the endowment effect, reference dependence, and framing. Prospect Theory is shown to have considerable explanatory power in the case of the historical dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over their shared border. The apparent lack of strategic importance of the Temple in dispute, the absence of natural resources in the contested area, and the relative intensity of the conflict cannot be properly explained by rational-choice theories. Finally, the paper concludes that Prospect Theory shows greater explanatory traction than rational-choice theories in explaining the intensity and persistence of the conflict over the contested areas, in particular the land surrounding Preah Vihear Temple.

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How to Cite
von Feigenblatt, Otto F. 2012. “Exploring the relationship between prospect theory and international conflict: the Thai-Cambodian border dispute as a case study”. Vivat Academia. Journal of Communication, no. 119 (June):14-30. https://doi.org/10.15178/va.2012.119.14-30.
Section
Research Articles
Author Biography

Otto F. von Feigenblatt, Millenia Atlantic University. (Estados Unidos)

Miembro elegido de la Real Sociedad Asiática de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda, así como un académico de la ciencia social de la Constantiniana de la Academia de las Artes, Letras y Ciencias en Palermo, Italia. Recientemente fue nombrado profesor honorario de las ciencias sociales por la Organización Mundial de Medicina Alternativa en Madrid, España. Autor del libro "Seguridad Humana en la Región Asiática del Pacífico: Desafíos de Seguridad, Integración Regional y Estudios de casos representativos", publicado por Libros Yking. Su investigación ha aparecido en varias revistas académicas y sus comentarios han sido publicados por United Press International, entre otros.

 

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