Ethnic War

Paper Summary:

Though theories of cultural hatreds or leader-driven mob politics are still broadly accepted, John Mueller and others have recently suggested that "ethnic wars" are not, in fact, cases of Hobbesian anarchy. Rather, they are caused by small numbers of ethnically ordered gangs fighting against a backdrop of cowed people who either participate in secondary ways, such as manning road blocks, for example, or simply "close the door and try not to hear." With this in mind, Mueller continues, the entire concept of broad-based "ethnic war" may be fundamentally misguided. This paper assesses the strengths and weaknesses of this new approach to "ethnic wars." It includes an explanation of the concept of ethnic war, a look at some other prominent theories, an analysis of what one might call the "armed thugs hypothesis" in context, and finally, a consideration of the implications for peacemaking, if indeed the world works in the manner that Mueller suggests. Although it is impossible to accept or dismiss any single theory wholesale, this paper at least compares competing ideas in attempt to find a hybrid explanation for the scourge of ethnic violence.

From the Paper:

"Large-scale protests are another oft-cited example of public hysteria. Nationalist rallies played in the western press may have given the false impression of a mobilized Serb populace, shouting slogans in unison. In reality, these mobs were provided with transportation to protest sites and often paid with food and liquor. Even then, despite police intimidation and state control over the media, the opposition managed to stage large protests of their own in Belgrade. Crowd noise is an incomplete measure of public opinion."

More papers on Ethnic War:

• Essay # 89001 : "Ethnic and Racial Segregation in Canadian Cities"
• Essay # 2285 : "The Use of Media in War"
• Essay # 25911 : "Ethnic Division in Yugoslavia"

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