In June 2024, a paper co-authored by Professor Kazuhiro Obayashi of the Graduate School of Law, titled “Service Provision during Wartime and Post-Conflict State Legitimacy: Foundations of Perceived Sustainable Development in Northwestern Pakistan,” was published in World Development Perspectives. This paper investigates how and why state legitimacy rises or declines as a result of wartime interactions between political actors and civilians, using survey data from the tribal areas in Northwestern Pakistan. The empirical analysis revealed that service provision during wartime is associated with civilians’ perceptions of state legitimacy concerning sustainable development in the post-conflict period. Additionally, the paper explains that state legitimacy plays a crucial role in political stability and national cohesion, which are essential for sustainable development after conflict. Finally, it emphasizes that post-conflict reconstruction must take into account the experiences of local people to ensure that development initiatives are legitimate and sustainable.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452292924000316