Political Conflict Ethic Identity Specific attributes and social institutions that make one group of people culturally different from others Often based on customs language religion or other factors Ascriptive generally assigned at birth Not inherently political Benedict Anderson says that communities are socially constructed by the people who perceive themselves as part of the group National Identity Based on the concept of a nation often but not always derived from ethnic identity inherently political and the basis for nationalism Set of institutions that bind people together through political aspirations Some say it s formed by elites media Nation State State that self identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign entity for a nation within a given territory Based on the idea that culture political and geographical territory can and do coincide Nationalism Pride in one s people and the belief that they have their own sovereign political destiny that is separate from those of others Relatively modern concept or movement Emphasizes a collective identity a people must be autonomous united and express a single national culture Stresses that symbols of the nation are sacred such as flags anthems monuments Eric Hobsbawm is a British Marxist Historian who wrote that nationalism is always linked to the rapid rise of an indigenous middle class and the spread of literacy in the native language something possibly other than official language Citizenship An individual s relationship to the state Purely political and thus more easily changed than ethnic identity or national identity The basis for patriotism Nationalism is loyalty to one s national group Patriotism is loyalty to the institutions of the state Loyalty to the nation always comes first Ethnic Conflict Conflict between ethnic groups that struggle to achieve certain political or economic goals at each other s expense National Conflict One or more groups have sovereignty as their goal clashing with other in the quest to form an independent state Ex American Revolution sovereignty Secession Form of national conflict The act of withdrawing from a country Irredentism Policy of advocating for the annexation of territories on the grounds of common ethnicity or prior historical possession Causes of Ethic Conflict Economic grievances political grievances share of political power basic character of the state minority size and rate of increase size of the group is related to the combat strength majority minority large changed result in friction Types of Ethnic Conflict Civil War communal rioting clashes between civilians clashes against soldiers police and civilians and terrorism an act or threat of violence against noncombatants with the objective of exacting revenge intimidating or otherwise influencing an audience Two Views of Conflict Top Down View Conflict generated by elites Can be stopped by controlling the responsible political leaders Use of outside force can be effective Bottom Up View Institutional in nature Artificial state e g borders created by outsiders not referencing ethnic lines Conflict is generated by long standing friction between groups Animosity must burn itself out Use of outside force will be ineffective