1. Why Do Ethnicities Clash?
Ch. 7 Key Issue 3
Why Do Ethnicities Clash?

2. Why do conflicts arise?
Sometimes ethnicities cannot live together peacefully in same state; 2 main reasons. Ethnicities are either:
1. Fighting for domination of nationality, OR
2. Division of ethnicities among more than one state
These result from trying to create a perfect nation-state
Could lead to refugees and/or ethnic cleansing (KI 4)

3. 1. Ethnic Competition to Dominate Nationality
Horn of Africa
Ethiopia and Eritrea
Both Italian colonies; after WWII Eritrea given to Ethiopia
Ethiopia banned Eritrean language and dissolved gov’t of Eritrea
Eritreans have common identity due to experience of wars with Ethiopia

5. 1. Ethnic Competition to Dominate Nationality
Sudan
Arab-Muslims who control government dominated the North trying to convert ethnicities into a nationality based on Islam.
Black Christians and animists in South
South Sudan is indep. today
Genocide in Darfur region in Western Sudan
Inhabited by Black Muslim ethnic groups
Use of the Janjaweed by govt.
Nomadic Arabs vs. sedentary African Farmers

6. Janjaweed-“men with gun on horse”

8. 1. Ethnic Competition to Dominate Nationality
Somalia
Most Somali’s (nationality) share same language and religion- see themselves as a nation-state
Multiethnic clans
Clans started to claim land for own after gov’t collapse in 1991  civil war
US involvement: Islamist militants took control of Somalia- US thought leaders were terrorists
Lebanon
Religions competing for power
Religions tie themselves to different ancestors = different ethnicity (Phoenicians vs. Arabs)

11. 2. Dividing Ethnicities Among More Than One State
New countries are often created to separate 2 rivaling ethnicities
It is difficult to completely encompass ALL of one ethnicity within the same border  split among different states

12. India and Pakistan
Result of British ending colonial rule giving India independence
Pakistanis – Muslim; Indians- Hindus
Fighting was so great, Br split them up
West Pak, India, East Pak (Bangladesh)
Caused mass migration because new borders did not match ethnic ones
Both faced killings during crossings
Jammu & Kashmir region- “line of control”; Muslim maj in both regions, Pak wants vote
Sikhs also want own country (Punjab)

15. FIGURE 7-26

16. Dividing the Kurds
Example of a stateless nation (a nationality without a state/country to call their own)
The Kurds homeland straddles Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria.
Many Kurds would like an independent homeland but the countries in which they are a minority are unwilling to let go of that territory.

18. FIGURE 7-25

19. Sinhalese and Tamil Sinhalese majority
Speak Sinhalese, Buddhist
Tamil minority (migrated from India)
Speak Tamil, Hindus
After indep., Sinhalese controlled gov’t
Made their religion and language official
Tamil fear loss of ethnic identity
Multinational state vying for nation-state status

20. FIGURE 7-27

23. Breakdown of Bosnia Nationality: Bosnian, Herzegovinian
Ethnicity: 48% Bosniak (Muslim); 37.1% Serb; 14.3% Croat
Languages: Bosnian (official), Croatian (official), Serbian
Religion: 40% Muslim; 31% Orthodox; 15% Roman Catholic

24. Is Bosnia and Herzegovina a multiethnic or multinational state?
What is the root of the conflict in Bosnia? Who is the conflict between?
How can the effect of the conflict be seen in Bosnia and Herzegovina today?
How does the younger generation feel about the divide between the ethnicities?
What is blocking Bosnia’s progress towards better unification among its ethnicities?
Would giving the Serbian dominated portion of the country back to Serbia help resolve the conflict?