Escalation Of Ethnic Conflicts Research Articles

Ethnocultural Education as a Factor of the Spiritual Security of the Russian Polyethnic Society

The article is based on the idea that in the setting of multiculturalism of the Russian society, the escalation of ethnic conflict is fraught with grave risks to the territorial integrity of the state; therefore, there is much tension around the issue of ensuring the spiritual security of the Russian society as a key factor in preserving the national sovereignty and cultural identity of the Russian Federation. The analysis of ethnocultural education as a social institution and sociocultural space of the socialization of an individual has made it possible to suggest that it has the potential to ensure the spiritual security of the Russian society, particularly in regard to interethnic relations. The authors conclude that the continuity of traditions, the interaction of ethnocultures, their sustainability and renewal in the dynamic changes of modern society is comprehended through ethnocultural education, which allows preserving the heritage of local cultures within the context of the nationhood of the Russian Federation. Hence, ethnocultural education serves as a factor of the spiritual security of the Russian multicultural society, ensuring the continuity of reproduction of historical traditions of long-term cohabitation and cooperation of various ethnic cultures in the common cultural and political space of the Russian Federation, having a beneficial effect on the harmonization of interethnic relations and paving the way for the sustainable development of the Russian society.

Etniczny wymiar depopulacji w Rosji w ujęciu regionalnym

The paper addresses the issue of depopulation in Russia, especially the ethnic aspect of this process considering the regional approach. Two essential aspects of depopulation were discussed i.e., the quantitative aspect resulting from the rate of natural increase or decrease and migration, as well as the qualitative aspect exerting impact on changes in the number of ethnic groups, namely the shift in ethnic self-identification. The analysis was conducted for the period of 1989–2010 (the last census in the USSR and the last census conducted in the Russian Federation). Population change in Russia has acquired a specific meaning in regional terms, leading to significant quantitative and structural transformation. On the one hand, there is a depopulation of native Russian regions and ethnic structured regions dominated by the Russians (or more broadly by the Slavs), and on the other, demographic expansion of non- Slavic ethnic groups, especially of North Caucasus. Changing the mutual relations between ethnic groups may cause tension or escalation of ethnic conflicts.

MAJOR THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO CONSTRUCTIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN THE NORTH CAUCASUS

This article explores the major approaches to the study of conflict resolution strategy from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives. It argues that conflict resolution strategy, as a civil integration resource, is a necessary tool for overcoming deep-rooted ethnic conflicts in the unstable North Caucasus. This research pursues the goal of analyzing how the strength of civil integration can affect conflict resolution and peacebuilding. The author considers the essential factors of protracted ethnic conflicts and emphasizes the destabilizing role of the repoliticization of ethnicity in a crisis society. The concept of ethnic, “identity-based” conflicts is the heuristic theoretical model of exploring causes for increased ethnoreligious tensions in the North Caucasus. This article focuses on the ability of conflict resolution strategy to de-escalate growing tensions and transform protracted identity-based conflicts. The need to stimulate civil integration is caused by moral and structural causes: from the ethical point of view, the creation of an inclusive society is the fundamental societal goal; structural factors are related to the need to reduce inequalities and differences leading to social fragmentation and an escalation of ethnic conflicts. Among the structural conditions of regional conflicts, the author names ethnosocial inequalities, a civil identity crisis, ethnopolitical neo-authoritarianism, large-scale socioeconomic polarization and an “ideological combat” between secular modernization and religious fundamentalism. While discussing conflict resolution strategies, it is necessary to consider the following: 1) Peace and integration within the North Caucasus is a macropolitical project, the content of which is determined by issues of social cohesion and civil solidarity; 2) The development of the North Caucasus after the end of armed ethnic conflicts shows the inadmissibility of political demodernization, fundamentalism and isolationism. Today, the North Caucasus remains a crucially geopolitical macroregion, as it forms the southern volatile frontier of Russia. In this case, conflict resolution strategy must serve as an integrational and preventive tool on the conflict environment by way of providing structural solutions for deep-rooted cultural antagonisms, transforming and rationalizing ethnoregional contradictions.

Issues and Consequences of Newspaper Framing on Ethnic Conflict: A Qualitative Study of Ethnic Group Leaders’ Conflict Frames

This paper attempts to explore the waves of media frames on ethnic group leaders’ conflict frames. In general, the effects of what media frame as news on public behaviours to politics have been discussed extensively in scholarly works. However, the extent that newspapers framing stimulate conflict frame (behaviours) in ethnic leaders who rheostat the hearts and minds of ethnic groups, are still underexplored. Specifically, this study seeks to understand the extent that media frames about ethnic issues have become the driving force behind volatile ethnic groups in Nigeria. Therefore, series of in-depth interviews on 26 ethnic group leaders were conducted and data were analyzed thematically using NVIVO 10 software. The study found that the unswerving newspapers framing on ethnic issues, especially on interethnic relations and politics, culminated to inciting, double standard, name calling, all of which stemmed from the ownership interest, are some of the major factors that widen ethnic differences and eventually stimulated ethnic groups into conflict. Based on the lived experiences of the ethnic group leaders, newspapers are culpable in the emergence and escalation of ethnic conflict as a result of these stimulations. This study has significantly contributed to the understanding of potential influence of conflict frames (behaviors) of ethnic group leaders on ethno-political conflict.

Sri Lanka in Commonwealth: Uk-Sri Lanka Political and Economic Relations 2009-2015

During the colonial era, British introduced their political, economic and cultural system to Ceylon for maintain the colonial with more benefits. However, after the World War II British lost their hegemonic capabilities in world system. As a result of that, British decide to grant independence and establish the mechanism to maintain the close relations with former colonies in the world system. The Commonwealth was established in 1949 and contain the countries which directly or indirectly controlled by the British Monarchy. During the post-colonial era UK-Sri Lanka maintain close relationship within the international paradigm due to national interest. UK-Sri Lanka Political and Economic relations reach ripe movement during the ethnic conflict and United Kingdom (UK) became a major party for conflict prevention and negotiation process. However, escalation of ethnic conflict create more British involvement in Sri Lankan decision making process and Sri Lanka was granted large scale political and financial aid to maintain the peace process. During the last stage of humanitarian mission against the LTTE, UK became a more active party in IDP and resettlement process in war effected areas.

Integration as a mode of ethnic conflict resolution in Africa

This paper criticizes the status quo position in African politics on two accounts. First it furthered the consolidation of the state system, and thereby, the failure of integration on the continental level. Second, it resulted in the spread and escalation of ethnic conflicts as a reaction to the suppression of the aspirations for independent expression and equality. At one level, explaining ethnic conflict requires the reconstruction, in terms of a theory, of the specific context in which it occurs. In this regard, we suggest that ethnic conflicts in Africa are an outgrowth of the consideration that ethnicity constitutes the dominant mode of political practice akin to the state system of dependent, nurture capitalism. Four conditions determine the conflictive potentialities of the ethnic situation: communalization of political practice, catastrophic balance between ethnic groups, economic and political inequalities, and articulation of class conflict and ethnic organization. Conflict and integration proce...