Lecture 3: Cultural Pluralism and Ethnic Conflict Flashcards
what is ethnicity?
- It’s a social construct
- It’s when groups come to see themselves as different from others
- the group is united by a common error or myth about their ancestry and a common dislike of their neighbours
- There is in and out groups
- In order for identity to function, you must know who we are and who we are not
- Some ethnic classifications imposed from the outside: Bengala (Congo), Coloured (South Africa), Latino (US)
what is the myth of homogenous state?
only a small fraction of the world’s nations can be seen as predominately homogenous (Japan, South Korea, Iceland, Uruguay)
- 1/3 of countries, no single ethnic group accounts for 50% of the population
- Uganda- largest ethnic group is 16.9% of the population
- 80% of countries have substantial minority groups
- Especially sub-Saharan Africa
- Nigeria for example has 200 ethnic groups
what is the changing nature of conflict?
- Between 1979-2004 there were 118 military conflicts
- Only 7 were between interstate conflict (between countries)
- 111 were instar-state often involving ethnic conflict (inside a country)
what are the 4 types of ethnic divisions?
- Nationality
- Tribe
- Race
- Religion
how is nationality a cultural ethnic division?
Population with its own language, cultural
traditions, historical aspirations and claim over
geographical area
how is tribe a cultural ethnic division?
Subnational group that shares a collective
identity and language and believes itself to hold
a common lineage - Controversial
how is race a cultural ethnic division?
Division based upon (visible) racial features
- Relevant in multi-racial settings (South African
apartheid)
how is religion a cultural ethnic division?
- Deeply engrained values
- Source of communal strife
- Sudan vs South Sudan
why is there interethnic conflict in developing countries?
Part less established national identity? New states vs Old states
Part more ethnically diverse?
Part lack of (functional) (democratic) institutions?
name 4 different levels of interethnic conflict?
minimal conflict, uneasy balance, enforced hierarchy and systematic violence
what is minimal conflict and which country?
Form of relative ethnic harmony. Brazil
what is uneasy balance and which country?
Different groups predominate in specific areas of society. For example in Malesia, Muslims dominate politics and Chinese people dominate the business sector.
what is enforced hierarchy and which country?
Both economic and political arena are dominated by ruling ethnic group. South Africa
what is systematic violence and which country?
Deep ethnic resentment that leads to mass violence or even civil war. Rwanda genocide
what are the 4 types of conflict resolution?
Power-sharing, secession, outside intervention and exhaustion
what is power sharing and country?
Create Stability by constitutionally dividing political power among ethnic groups (federalism or consociationalism)
Malaysia
what secession and country?
’divorce of a country.
For example, in 1993 when Eritrea and Ethiopia become two separate countries.
what is outside intervention and country?
the focus on human need and international law, e.g., in Libya.
what is exhaustion and country?
Exhaustion of warring parties. both parties put the conflict ‘on hold.’
Mozambique
Name the basic facts of Rwanda?
Rwanda has a population of approximately 11.9 million people. The population has three ethnic groups, of which 84% are Hutu, 15% are Tutsi and 1% are part of the Twa group.
what are the economic forces in Rwanda?
The government in Rwanda has less budget to spend because of international external factors. There was an increase in poverty and an increase in the population.
The late 1980’s diminished agricultural output.
The global market prices for coffee and tea declined, which did not benefit Rwanda’s economy.
what are 4 key factors leading to Rwandan Genocide?
Colonial history and creation of Class Society (1885-1962)
Decolonization
Elections (1962)
Propaganda (1960’s-1994)
Outside Pressure from RPF (Tutsi) Army and Lack of Outside Pressure from the UN
what happened in the colonial history of Rwanda?
- 1919, Rwanda was dominated by Belgium.
- Tutsi elite used as tool for indirect rule.
- 1934, Belgian rulers stated that if one had 10+ cows they are a Tutsi.’ - 1935, Intro of identity cars > ethnic classification.
what happened rung decolonization and elections in Rwanda?
1959
- First violent attacks against Tutsi
- 20,000 dead and 300,000 flee to neighbouring countries
- 1962-1965
Elections
- Party of the Hutu Emancipation Movement wins (unopposed)
- Hutu Journalist who lead the independence movement and replaced the Tutsi monarchy
-Throughout the decades, sporadic outbursts of aggression against Tutsi
how was propaganda used in Rwanda?
Two main forms
- Newspaper - Kangura
- Published cartoons depicting Tutsi as subhuman, ‘cockroaches’
- Radio
Radio Televions Libre des Mille Collines
Hutu Extremists
Called for the ‘Final War’ to ‘exterminate’ the Tutsi
what about the outside pressures?
Rwandan Patriotic Front
Controlled the northern part of Rwanda military Still lost in the local elections in 1993
UN Peacekeepers (mostly from Belgium)
Present due to civil war
Mandate was peacekeeping
Quickly evacuated when violence start (no peace to keep)
what happenend during the genocide and when?
April 6, 1994
Plane carrying Rwandan and Burundian Presidents (both Hutus) shot down on approach to Kigali Airport
Unclear whether by RPF or Hutu extremists
Voices call for violence
-
RTLM encourages listeners to go out and kill Tutsi
Roadblocks set up to identify Tutsi (remember ID cards?) People murdered in houses, schools, churches, ditches, their cars
Just 100 Days
Ends July 15, 1994
800,000 people killed
Roughly 80,000 per day
Machetes were the most common used weapon
