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Military Famine, Human Rights, and Child Hunger

A Cross-National Analysis, 1990-2000

Department of Sociology, Ohio State University, Columbus

Stephen J. Scanlan

Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Ohio University, Athens

Lindsey Peterson

Department of Sociology, Ohio State University, Columbus

Discussions of world hunger have focused on economic growth and international food aid, assuming that food supply is the critical issue. The authors show that food access rooted in social stratification and military power is the central problem. Synthesizing the entitlement and military famine approaches to hunger, the authors examine the effects of food supply, economic growth, social stratification, and military power on child hunger in less developed countries (1990-2000) using a cross-national analysis. Child hunger is largely due to gender stratification, militarization, and armed conflict. Halting wars, expanding political rights, and improving gender equity reduce child hunger. Economic growth and programmatic international food aid reduce child hunger, but there are no benefits from increased total food supply or international emergency relief. Child hunger is an access problem best addressed by expanding social and political rights, reducing armed conflict and militarization, and improving women's status. Early warning and relief efforts should focus on these concerns instead of the ``supply'' concerns traditionally emphasized.

Key Words: food security • hunger • famine • early warning systems • entitlement theory

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