Ethnic conflict and civic engagement

Description

It is often puzzling that, despite similar levels of ethnic diversity, some places—villages, towns, or cities—remain peaceful, while others experience violence. This paper examines how the characteristics of civic engagement in a given location influence the occurrence of ethnic conflict. The study finds that areas characterized by higher levels of “intra”-ethnic civic engagement are more likely to experience ethnic conflict compared to those with stronger “inter”-ethnic engagement. In contrast, environments that foster interactions and cooperation across ethnic groups tend to reduce the likelihood of conflict. Additionally, economic conditions play an important role: more affluent regions are generally less prone to conflict than poorer ones. Absolute poverty, in particular, emerges as a significant factor in precipitating violence, as it can intensify competition over limited resources and deepen social divisions.

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Keywords

Civic engagement, Ethnic civic engagement, Ethnic engagement

Conference

Winter School, 15-17 December, 2014, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi

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