Inequalities and Conflict

War and inequalities develop faster than the analysis, understanding and learning of their root causes and consequences. Conflict and inequalities have been a reality throughout human history, which even today continue to grow in numbers. The vast literature on war offers a broad range of rational explanations as to what triggers, fuels and sustains conflict, wherein inequalities play a prominent role. Although not exclusively, most of the theories that explore the relation between conflict and inequalities try to offer tools and analyses to help better predict conflicts, mitigate factors leading to the eruption and continuation of violence in a given context and suggest areas for further research. This chapter offers a tertiary review of the research conducted on the conflict-inequalities nexus. Grounded on existing and well-established sources, it provides a review of the main findings and limitations on the analysis of the relationship between poverty, horizontal and vertical inequalities and civil war. While not advancing new theoretical frameworks nor empirical findings, in its conclusions this chapter provides key recommendations for future work on this topic. In particular, more systematic and structured quantitative and qualitative research could explore further the impact of conflict on inequalities, under-researched elements of inequality and social groups. Moreover, researchers should include relevant contextual factors and the role perceived inequalities play in conflict in their research models, all while continuing to address existing methodological limitations. This should be accompanied by a more sustained and intentional resort to complementary approaches and cross-fertilisation.