The Causes and Solutions to Ethnic Conflicts

Scholars of International Security hurl been trying to develop a theoretical approach to explain the ca wasting diseases of pagan conflict for a long time. These studies have led to disputative statements only when have also probed so deeply that their findings help shed tender light on these issues, providing better understanding and executable solutions. heathen conventions argon defined as a community of people who sh ar cultural and linguistic char deederistics including religion, language, biography, tradition, myth, and origin.This paper will explore the realist explanations of heathenish conflicts and then meet how censorious theory explanations offer new insight and answers to puzzles that could not be previously be explained. It will then explore several of the possible solutions delectationd to end incidents of social violence. Fin ally, it will focus on the debate surrounding sectionalization as a possible solution to cultural conflict, concluding that it is in fact a viable option for calmness when implemented judiciously.According to realist explanations, cultural conflicts be deeply rooted in cognitive and situational inescapably. In his article, The Security Dilemma and Ethnic Conflict, realist scholar Barry Posen claims that lawlessness creates competition and hostility surrounded by ethnic, religious and cultural chemical groups. Ethnic fractions act to preserve their identity and physical tri scarcee through the accumulation of resources and soldiery agency. Interestingly, Posen notes that social cohesion is viewed as a larger threat than physical assets in military competition.Social cohesion, he claims, derives from historical accounts of identity twist which often are inaccurate and biased thus perpetuating cultural differences and execration of the other. 1 Accordingly, ethnic tensions are inevitable but can quickly puff out to warfare when one group coerces or dominates the other militarily or ideologically . Realists, much(prenominal) as Posen do not ignore the fact that ideas are essential elements of ethnic conflict, but rather use them support the needs of power and mutual deterrence.In his article, Symbolic Politics or intellectual Choice? , Stewart Kaufman attempts to deconstruct realist explanations of ethnic conflicts by introducing his own theory called exemplary government. According to this theory, episodes of extreme ethnic violence are caused by, Group myths that justify hostility, fears of group extinction and a symbolic politics of chauvinist mobilization. 2 Kaufman believes that these myths produce emotion-laden symbols that line mass hostility easy for chauvinist elites to provoke and make immoderate policies popular. 3 Both Posen and Kaufman use the situation in former Yugoslavia to validate their various(prenominal) theories. According to Posens realist explanation, the origin of the conflict was a primordial contentious relationship between the Croats and Serbs. Due to the past violence and aggression inflicted upon them by the Croats, the Serbs were justifiably fearful for their security.Their ability to mobilize and slight military value prompted mutual fear and competition from the Croats, which in turn resulted in the Serbs intromission what they perceived to be a preventative war. 4 Kaufmans symbolic politics theory suggests that the conflict was not one based on group interests or material factors, but rather, the struggle for relative group expense5 and that charismatic leaders such as Milosevic and Tudjman exploited pre-existing myths and symbols which appealed to the emotions of the public, in order promote their own, expansionist agendas. 6 Upon in depth analysis of twain scholars explanations, I found each to be very similar and plausible.In my opinion, Kaufmans symbolic politics theory does not undermine Posens realist explanation of the conflict, but rather supports and expands on it. Kaufmans explanation appears to be more of a critical analysis which combines elements of realist explanations (power), liberal explanations (elite manipulation of ethnic differences by leaders) and constructivist explanations (ethnic identities are constructed by historical myths. ) In the same article, Kaufman examines the ethnic conflicts of Sudan and Rwanda as case studies to further support his symbolic politics theory.The some dominant explanation for ethnic conflict in these areas had been the realist account, which claimed that European colonialism created passage of arms by reconstructing African identities and exploiting their resources forcing them the compete with each other for survival of the fittest. era I do believe that these realist explanations are legitimate factors, I do not think they are the only ones. After reading Stuart Kaufmans in depth explanations, I am now convinced that value systemsor lack in that respectof, lie at the root of ethnic conflict.In blue Sudan, Islamic value enco uraged hostile expansionism of Sharia law, which threatened the survival (identity) of the Southern Sudanese who were unwilling to submit to it. Similarly, the creation of hostile myths against the Tutsi nonage and large scale acceptance of the use of violence against them in Rwanda shows how easily populations lacking strong value systems can be manipulated by policy-making elites into justifying the most heinous acts of violence against other human beings. Just as there are many plausible theories that explain the causes of ethnic conflicts worldwide, there too are many possible solutions.Although he is a realist scholar, Barry Posen admits that peacekeeping mission can sometimes be achieved through diplomatic measures, mainly by encouraging groups involved in the conflict to reexamine their past history from a more objective standpoint. Other third party options admit the creation of international institutions aimed at rebuilding domestic institutions, international treaties such as the non-proliferation policy, the use of economic sanctions, and the use of peacekeeping forces. each(prenominal) of these solutions have had success in some areas and failures elsewhere.When international diplomatic peacekeeping efforts fail and the ethnic conflict persists, outside powers are sometimes compel to implement material methods of assistance including military support and weaponry. Because warfare is ever finisingly a last resort, the use of partitions has become a highly good but equally controversial method used to suppress ethnic violence. According to some realist scholars, the separation of ethnic identities serves a necessary employment it provides people with meaningful associations and security.Chaim Kaufmann, though a prominent proponent of the use of partitions in pervasive interethnic conflict, still acknowledges that they should be used as a last resort and that the risks of partition and population transfers are only worthy undertaking if they are saving the lives that would have been sacrificed if they had not occurred. 7 Critics of the use of partitions such as Radha Kumar argue that they do little to mitigate violence, but preferably escalate tensions and cause mass movements of forced migration. 8 In his article, When All Else Fails Ethnic Population Transfers and Partitions in the Twentieth Century, Chaim Kaufmann does a good job at deconstructing this myth.He claims that persistent violence creates refugee movements because people are afraid to tolerate where they are, or are at times forced to leave by opposing militant forces. Therefore, intermixed populations will inevitably become separated and the use of partitions only serves as an organizational vehicle which would enable them to resettle in a structured and protected manner. 9 Kumars arguments are further refuted by Kaufmanns use of empirical data which prove that incidents of violence truly diminished when partitions were constructed in Ireland, India a nd Cyprus and that marginal increases of violence in those regions were not a result of the partition, but rather the lack of complete separation between rival groups within those regions. Kaufmann concedes that the case with Israel and Palestine is a special fact due to the fact that Palestinian threats are so pervasive that Israels existence is dependent on the partition.In contrast, Kumars strongest argument is that partition has rarely been anything more than a temporary solution to conflict, but its mental effects are permanent. 10 After considering both sides of the argument, I believe the benefits of employ partitions far out way the costs. While the psychological barriers that partitions create are an unfortunate reality, the numbers of lives they save are more important.In gag law it is important to understand that each case of ethnic conflict study has individual characteristics which make it unique and thus the causes and solutions to each situation are unique as wel l. Despite their variance, there is still something that can be learned and applied by studying each case. The realist explanation asserts that power and security factors are the motivating cause for conflict, but new critical theory explanations help us to see that physical and psychological security alone are not enough to deter episodes of ethnic violence.While it has been proven that material factors such as military and nuclear might and partitions are utile deterrents, they should only be used as last result methods. International institutions, treaties and post conflict reconstruction initiatives are all instrumental in the peacekeeping effort. But in my opinion, the most effective method used for reducing incidences of ethnic violence is that of nation building.Ive arrived at this conclusion, not only through scholarly analysis but also through personal experience. As a fourth coevals Jewish American who grew up in the melting pot of unused York City, I have been fortuna te to witness the success of democratic values first hand. While I understand that constructing civic identities based on universal values of liberty and justice for all may come along like an overly idealistic notion, I need only to present at the success of my country and my city to know that it can be done.