2. Is conflict between ethnic groups a reality that we just have to accept? Flashcards
What are the main two questions to think about when considering civil wars?
- What opportunities are available? (E.G. what is it about the political system? The geopolitical space? The social order?)
- Why are groups/individuals willing to organise and engage in CW? (E.G. why are people willing to overcome the collective action problem to begin these conflicts?)
What are the main differences between New and Old wars according to Kaldor?
Kaldor New Wars and Old Wars
Old Wars:
- Ideological (high-minded noble patriots)
- Mass support and participation (for rebels)
- Controlled violence (rebels targeted specific people at specific times)
- Collective grievances
New Wars (more armed gangs that terrorise):
- Criminal (private looting)
- No Popular support (for rebels) = instead survived on the fear they put on the civilians
- Extreme Violence (mutilation, indiscriminate)
- Depoliticised and predatory (no collective grievances or political motives)
What is the Collective Action Problem?
Explains why it is problematic/troubling for individuals to rise up to achieve some collective good when the benefits are shared by all
- Why should some rise up when others don’t be then all get to reap the rewards? = so this can lead to people doing nothing
What are horizontal inequalities?
Inequalities among groups of people who share a common identity. E.g. Economic, Social, political and cultural statuses.
What are the four Horizontal Inequalities in detail?
Economic HIs include:
- Ownership of assets = financial, natural resource-based.
- Income levels and employment opportunities = which depend on such assets and the general conditions of the economy.
Social HIs include inequalities in access to a range of services:
- Education
- Health care
- Housing
Political HIs include:
- Inequalities in the distribution of political opportunities and power among groups: including control over the presidency, the cabinet, parliamentary assemblies, the bureaucracy, local and regional governments, the army and the police.
- They also encompass inequalities in people’s capabilities to participate politically and to express their needs.
Cultural status HIs include:
- Disparities in the recognition and standing of different groups’ languages, customs, norms and practices.
Define Civil War
a violent conflict within a country fought by organised groups that aim to take power at the centre or in a region, or to change government policies
What does CRISE stand for?
Centre of Research on Inequalities, Human Security and Ethnicity
Define Conflict
An incompatibility between two or more groups that involves a threat to at least one actor’s needs or interests.
Define ethnicity/ethnic groups
Socially constructed through individuals considering themselves culturally and biologically distinct from others
- Not necessarily territorial boundaries; more likely social ones
- Usually cultural differences E.G. Sunni and Shi’ite whom hold no biological differences
What are three main arguments by Lake and Rothchild?
- Ethnic conflict stems from groups being fearful of what the future holds for them
- No matter how well international organisations such as the UN or local governments manage an ethnical conflict, it leaves the potential for further rising problems.
- Even if a group is a minority that is oppressed, as long as they feel safe, they will not rebel.
When do collective fears become relevant? And what does Posen refer to this as?
- When the state loses its ability to arbitrate between groups, usually due to its loss of autonomous power, to provide credible commitment of protection for all groups.
- Posen refers to this as ‘emergency anarchy’ whereby security becomes paramount
What are the two ways conflicts may begin? (Between and Within)
Between Groups: Security Dilemma of: information failures, problems of credible commitment, pre-emptive use of force
Within Groups: Ethnic activists outbid moderate politicians which leads to a mobilisation and ethnic polarisation between groups (leads to the above)
Between Groups = What is the process whereby information fails?
- Violence is costly, therefore to avoid it information must be shared between groups.
- Groups may bluff strengths and weaknesses which leads to fear factor and therefore violence
- This fear is amplified when the violence begins and information sharing almost disappears
‘War today instead of exploitation tomorrow’
Within Groups = What role to ethnic activists play in conflict conjuring?
- Divide communities through ethnic differences
- Social pressure forms around individuals to only interact with their ethnic groups, leading them to falsely represent their true preferences due to fear of social exclusion
How do IO’s, governments and elites help to influence (give advice on things to do) and reassure minorities?
- Demonstrations of respect, especially between elites
- Power-sharing governments
- Elections linked to another political method E.G. parliament with consociationalist model
- Regional autonomy and federalism (decentralisation which enables local and regional authorities to hold a degree of autonomous power to help as mediators to set certain laws to keep peace in those specific areas)
- Confidence building to reassure minorities through acknowledgement, sharing of resources, state positions and political power.
