Abstract
With the increase of ethnic conflicts and ethnic groups’ mobilizations for ethno-nationalism to secure and share state power, the concept of decentralization has also been getting attention in ethnically plural countries, and many of them have taken advantages of adopting decentralization policies for the empowerment of diverse groups in their state cum nation-building process. Similarly, the requests and supports for the adaptation of different forms of decentralization as to accommodate number of political and administrative demands and claims emerging from different ethnic groups within a country has also increased in the recent past. This has induced the researcher and international actors to develop different definitions, interpretations, and objectives for decentralization on its ethnic diversity accommodation perspective. This paper attempted to conceptualize the decentralization as a tool for ethnic diversity accommodation through reviewing the existing literary definitions, explanations and with researchers’ interpretive arguments. The finding reveals that decentralization initiatives, like other impacts, in number of ways, contributes to accommodate rights, interests, needs and claims of competing ethnic groups, especially of ethnic minorities and accommodate them within the larger political system and their local attachments. However, the success of this process highly depends on the mechanisms adopted for sharing powers and responsibilities; the nature, subject and decree of decentralized power; and the willingness of authorities to allow the groups to exercise those powers, with other factors.
Highlights
Decentralization has received a popular concern among academics, statesman, policy-makers and international mediators and donors as a concept for accommodating the diverse interests and demands emerging from different groups of people
The major objectives of this paper is to identify the ways that decentralization take in accommodating concerns and priorities of diverse population, especially of minority groups in terms of ethnic, religious and regional differences within the larger political entity
An extensive analysis is made to identify how decentralization contributes to empower diverse ethnic groups, mostly minorities in political power-sharing at center, regional and local governance, ethnic groups partnership in local development, resolve issues and conflict emerge between groups, and the accommodation of different groups in post-civil war and post-conflict democratization process
Summary
Decentralization has received a popular concern among academics, statesman, policy-makers and international mediators and donors as a concept for accommodating the diverse interests and demands emerging from different groups of people. The ethnic entrepreneurial behaviors of political leaders have induced the advocacy for greater autonomy for ethnically bounded groups This ethnic groups identity became proved as a powerful political weapon for minorities when many governments paid due concerns to accommodate their demand and claims through decentralization policy reforms. An extensive analysis is made to identify how decentralization contributes to empower diverse ethnic groups, mostly minorities in political power-sharing at center, regional and local governance, ethnic groups partnership in local development, resolve issues and conflict emerge between groups, and the accommodation of different groups in post-civil war and post-conflict democratization process
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