Status: Under Review at Journal of Peace Research

Abstract: This paper uses event-history analysis to demonstrate how riots diffuse through vernacular-language media networks, supporting arguments that state-level communication infrastructures drive patterns of unrest across India.

Methods: Event-history analysis, GIS mapping, network analysis, computational text analysis

Key Findings:

• Riot diffusion follows vernacular media network structures
• Language boundaries create distinct diffusion patterns
• State-level media infrastructure shapes violence geography

Theoretical Contributions: Brings media and communication back into the study of collective violence, showing how information flows shape the spatial and temporal patterns of unrest.

Policy Implications: Understanding media-driven diffusion patterns can inform early warning systems and intervention strategies.