The view that ethnic conflicts today can be traced back to ancient group hatreds is known as essentialism, sometimes also called primordialism. Access to society journal content varies across our titles. The end of the cold war thus sparked interest in two important questions about ethnic conflict. Professor varshney talked about his book, ethnic conflict and civic life. In this passage from his 2001 work, ethnic conflict and civil society, varshney highlights the importance of civic associations in maintaining peace.
Civil society may contribute to the prevention or diminution of collective violence and ethnic conflict within states, and to. Curriculum vitae may 2016 ashutosh varshney sol goldman professor of international studies and the social sciences professor of political science. Concerning this, the context of varshneys ethnic conflict and civic life is an. Through systematic, comparative analysis, varshney develops a compelling explanation of why hindumuslim violence has occurred in some indian cities and not in others. An important set of studies, for example, focuses on the impact of ethnic diversity, in which the presence of multiple ethnic groups is hypothesized to lead to violence. Chapter 12 ethnic conflict, the state, and civil society pp. It presents a survey of the explanations provided in four traditions of enquiry, and also provides an analysis of the inadequacies or merits of arguments within each tradition. I argue that ethnic conflict occurs when a particular set of factors and conditions converge. Runnerup, gregory luebbert award for the best article in comparative politics, comparative politics organized section, american political science association, 2001 and 2002. Pdf ethnic conflict and civic life hindus and muslims in india.
White, however, has argued that emotive moral revulsion is a poor substitute for sober structural analysis, if one aims to avoid a repeat of catastrophic political events. Ethnic conflict and civil society india and beyond by ashutosh varshney much scholarly work has been done on the topics of civil society and ethnic conflict, but no systematic attempt has yet been made to connect the two. First, interethnic and intraethnic networks of civic engagement play very different roles in ethnic conflict. Depending on the political structure of the state democracy versus authoritarian regimes and the size and situation of the ethnic minority large versus small portion of the society, regionally concentrated versus dispersed, ethnic groups will have different. We argue that ethnic groups, on average, are likely to have more grievances against the state, are likely to have an easier time organizing support and mobilizing a movement, and are more likely to face difficulttoresolve bargaining problems. Hindus and muslims in india, published by yale university press. International actors and democracy promotion in central europe. A second group relates patterns of political violence to the character of civil society. Strong associational forms of civic engagement, such as integrated business organizations, trade unions, political parties, and professional associations, are able to control outbreaks of ethnic violence, varshney shows. Ethnic conflict and civic life yale university press. An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more contending ethnic groups.
Ethnicity and civil war elaine k denny, barbara f walter. On the basis of a comparison of indian cities, ashutosh varshney has argued that vibrant interethnic. Ethnic conflict wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. The causes of ethnic conflict in multiethnic societies. If you have access to a journal via a society or association membership, please browse to your society journal, select an article to view, and follow the instructions in this box. Ethnic conflict has become one of the worlds deadliest causes of insecurity, destruction. The article proposes a multidimensional conceptual framework for understanding causes of ethnic conflict, specifically focusing on the case of bosnia and herzegovina. Varshney ethnic conflict and civil society india and beyond.
Conflict resolution programme speaking of ethnic conflict. The burden of social policy in the developing world is heavier. India and beyond, world politics, april 2001, american. He analyzed the hindumuslim violence that occurs in. This article focuses on ethnic conflict and ethnic identity. Im rereading ashutosh varshneys ethnic conflict and civic life. While the source of the conflict may be political, social, economic or religious, the individuals in conflict must expressly fight for their ethnic groups position within society. Towards a theory of political forgiveness rjuly 29 metacommunity. In an attempt to explore the possible links, this article makes two interconnected arguments. Ethnicity and nationalism by ashutosh varshney youtube. The argument that emerges is that there is a direct link between the structure of civil society and ethnic violence.
I agree with varshney and hereby only address violent ethnic. If a civil war begins, it is more likely to be initiated by an ethnic group than any other type of group. Essentialism and ethnic conflict by ashutosh varshney. This morning we are very pleased to have ashutosh varshney, who will be discussing his book, ethnic conflict and civic life. Ethnicity, conflict and inequality in global perspective. Western european social policy health, education, safety nets not enough. These studies provide a range of explanations based upon various metrics of diversity. Conflict between hindus and muslims, a familiar theme in the literature on south asia, has remained a matter of urgent concern well after the partition of india in 1947. Ethnic conflict ethnic conflict types of ethnic groups.
Varshney ethnic conflict civil society varshney highlights the importance of civic associations in maintaining peace in multiethnic societies. National identity and the politics of nationalism in the middle east professor mahmood monshipouri duration. India and beyond volume 53 issue 3 ashutosh varshney. Through systematic, comparative analysis, varshney develops a compelling explanation of why hindumuslim violence has occurred in. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise cambridge core to connect with your account.
The book focuses on the networks of civic engagement that bring hindu and muslim urban communities together. This final criterion differentiates ethnic conflict from. The problem is to explain how such associations keep going. In his examination of hindumuslim conflict in india, varshney 2001 found. Gregory luebbert prize, runner up, for the best article in comparative politics, 2000 and 2001, ethnic conflict and civil society. Third, if ethnic conflict, rather than class conflict, is to be viewed as the principal form of conflict. Ethnic conflict and civic life is an outstanding work of social science, one of the most important studies of ethnic violence to appear in many years. This final criterion differentiates ethnic conflict from other forms of struggle. The news headlines reporting on the resurgence of tensions between indias hindu majority and its sizable muslim minority has captured our attention in recent months. Scholars have worked either on civil society or on ethnic conflict, but no systematic attempt has yet been made to connect the two.
Their combined citations are counted only for the first article. Ethnocommunal conflict and nationalism ashutosh varshney. Hindus and muslims in india by ashutosh varshney oxford communal violence generates strong reactions. When cities in which there was a large amount of ethnic violence were examined. It begins by differentiating these from nationalism, national identity, and civil wars. For a society with a conscience, public intervention was necessary. Managing, reducing, preempting violent ethnic conflict should be one of the primary aims of social policy in the developing world. Ethnic conflict and civil society india and beyond by ashutosh varshney much scholarly work has been done on the topics of civil society and ethnic con. This is a fine book, which has already received some recognition, partly for its own merits, partly from the timing of its publication in march 2002, shortly after the communal carnage in gujarat. This years bloodbath in gujarat was no exception and created a climate of both anger and hysteria. World politics 53 april 2001, 36298 ethnic conflict and civil society india and beyond by ashutosh varshney m uch scholarly work has been done on the topics of civil society and ethnic conflict, but no systematic attempt has yet been made to connect the two. Scholars estimate that the number of the reach of civil society organizations csos.