4what factors have contributed to ethnic conflict in eastern Europr?

• Conclusions

What is an Ethnic Group?

• Concept somewhat “plastic”

• Broad definition: Collective with common

social characteristics: culture, language,

religion, race, tribe, or nation origin

• Often given in categorical manner – census

grouping

• Variable sense of shared identity – expressed

in symbols, myths, memories

What are Nation and Nationality?

• Nation distinguished from ethnic group by

political nature of collective/community – i. e.,

claim for political autonomy or statehood

• Opposing conceptions: constructed/founding vs.

natural/always existing

• Nation and nationality product of modern state

formation – national language, national

education system, national military service

• Implies clearly demarcated territory & unified

administration

What is Nationalism?

• Nationalism is rhetoric and political action

demarcating political community

• Closely associated with right to selfdetermination, political legitimacy based upon

rule by “the people”

• Ideal political legitimacy: boundaries of people

(ethnic group) coterminous with boundaries of

political administration

• Ernest Gellner – combination of state formation

and creation of “high cultures” (e.g., modern

literature) produces nationalism

State-Building Framework

State – set of political organizations

• Maintaining territorial control (external

defense, internal order, resource extraction)

• Recognized position in international state

system (claim to sovereign control)

• Representing a political community living in

territory (criteria of membership)

What is Nationalist Violence?

• Use of force to cause bodily harm or direct

threat of such force

• Violence is qualitatively distinct form of

conflict

• Nationalist violence usually clustered

Explanation: