Annjulie Vester

Under Review:

"Innovation in Rebel Financing and Governance: How Myanmar's NUG United Digital Technologies and Traditional Practices". With Kai M. Thaler and Reggie Htut. Under Review

In this paper, we investigate what determines funding choice among rebel groups in a multi-actor civil war. We analyze Myanmar's National Unity Government (NUG), formed by deposed officials after a 2021 coup. Alongside traditional fundraising methods, the NUG has innovated through establishing an online bank, digital wallet, and cryptocurrency, selling bonds and future property rights, and holding online lotteries. We argue NUG financing strategy has differed from Myanmar's other armed organizations for four reasons: 1) low territorial control; 2) competition requiring reaching new and different audiences compared to preexisting organizations; 3) NUG leaders’ governing experience and technical and financial knowledge; and 4) center-seeking aims meaning greater legitimacy concerns.

"Introducing UNGAInsight 1990-2021: New Data on Voting Dynamics and Politics in the UN General Assembly”. With Julia C. Morse, Bridget L. Coggins and Jungjae Hong. Revise & Resubmit

This article presents the UNGAInsight data (UNGA-I), a complement to the Voeten data, which provides new information on the geopolitical dynamics of UNGA from 1990 to 2021. UNGA-I offers 33 mutually exclusive finer-grained topic categories that comprehensively describe the content of UNGA resolutions. It also includes a list of all countries targeted by resolutions and the level of associated demands. Finally, UNGA-I provides information on the nature and duration of delegation voting absences to better understand the political dynamics that underpin absences. The new data highlight previously hidden political dynamics in UNGA and offer new options for scholars interested in using roll-call voting to understand preference similarity.

Working Papers (available upon request):

"Banking on Independence or Insecurity": Understanding Rebel Monetary Governance. Dissertation

This research project focuses on the puzzle of why certain rebel groups create their own currencies and monetary institutions during armed conflict with the state. I collect new data on rebel institutions and find that about 40 rebel groups have engaged the state on monetary policy since 1945. I investigate how, why, and under what conditions this form of rebel governance arises, and to what end rebels use it during rebellion.

"Institutional Engagement and Informal Change at the UN General Assembly”. Working Paper. With Julia C. Morse and Bridget L. Coggins

We analyze how states engage with rule ambiguity through an analysis of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly's voting ban across time. Under Article 19 of the UN Charter, countries in arrears for at least two years are excluded from voting unless they pay their dues or are granted an exemption, claiming circumstances outside their control. Due to a rapid increase in the UN's budget and concomitant dues in the 1990s, more than a quarter of UN members were eligible for this process at the turn of the century. Yet the vast majority of eligible members did not seek an exemption from the voting ban. Drawing on original data about Article 19 eligibility from 1956 to 2021, we test three explanations for exemptions: state capacity, ties to the United States, and political crisis.

Engaged Scholarship:

"At the United Nations, the United States May not Be as Isolated as It Thinks”, UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. 2024. Available here!

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse