Monitoring conflict to deter violence

Does establishing evidence of atrocities through the systematic monitoring of war affect the strategic use of violence during conflict? Does monitoring conflict ultimately deter crimes against humanity before they take place? To answer these questions and fully examine the impact of monitoring, this dissertation weaves together three levels of analysis. At the macro-level, this project analyzes global trends in how monitoring shapes the behavior of those engaged in conflict. At the meso-level, this dissertation assesses whether the first-ever satellite intervention implemented by a human rights organization amidst a brutal genocide in Darfur reduced violence. At the micro-level, this work explores how monitoring affects individual decision making among members of the Congolese army. Together, this work illuminates whether and why monitoring conflict deters violence.