MIT 17 523 - A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSIS OF ETHNOPOLITICAL MOBILIZATION

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17.523 / Lecture Notes A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSIS OF ETHNOPOLITICAL MOBILIZATION I. Approaches to Explaining Ethnopolitical Conflict A. Modernization theory predicted that ethnic identities would disappear. Why? Class identities or an overriding national identity would eventually subsume other identities. However, ethnic identities persisted in both “developed” and “developing” countries. B. With the evident failure of modernization theory to explain ethnic conflict, scholars have developed theories to explain why groups mobilize, sometimes, violently, sometimes not. 1. Instrumental reasons – To pursue clear aims: gain rights, territory, goods, etc. Pursuit of ethnic and political interests. 2. Primordial – conflict has deep cultural and psychological sources. Defense of ethnic identity C. These two reasons are not mutually exclusive. Also, the instrumental approach tends to focus on the role of group elites. D. Non-violent and Violent Conflicts are different than genocides. Authors identify 5 internal factors, that, in combination, make genocides and politicides possible. 1. Persisting cleavages exist among ethnic groups 2. Elites have a history of relying on repression to maintain power. 3. Elites use their power to reward groups differentially for their loyalty 4. The society has recently experienced a political upheaval, for example, a revolution or defeat in war. 5. Exclusionary ideologies arise that identify target groups as expendable. II. Seven Hypotheses for explaining Ethnopolitical Mobilization: 1. The greater the discrimination they experience, the more likely they are to organize for action. 2. The more strongly a person identifies w/ an ethnic group that is subject to discrimination, the more likely he or she is to be motivated into action. a. The greater the number of traits common to a group, the stronger the group identity. 3. Group cohesion increases to the extent that groups are regionally concentrated, share many common traits and grievances over long periods of time, and have widely accepted autocratic leadership. 4. The more democratic the political environment, the more likely ethnopolitical groups will be to voice opposition nonviolently.5. The more violence is used by political authorities, the greater the likelihood that challengers will respond with violence. a. The more extreme force is used, the less likely the chances for open rebellion. 6. The greater their external support, the greater the chances groups will use violent means to challenge authorities. 7. The greater the international status accorded to a state, the less it is likely that its challengers are externally supported. C. Seven Concepts of a Variable Character: 1. Discrimination (Economic and Political) 2. Group Identity (Strength of) 3. Ethnopolitical leadership and group cohesion – degree of cohesion b/ween leadership and followers. 4. Type of Political Regime (e.g. Democratic, Authoritarian, etc.) 5. Severity of force used by Gov’t 6. Degree of External Support 7. Level of International political and economic


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